


White Ghost, Red Mist

by CALLEN37



Category: NCIS: Los Angeles
Genre: F/M, Family Secrets, Hurt/Comfort, Secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-08
Updated: 2014-07-01
Packaged: 2018-01-11 15:18:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 21,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1174616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CALLEN37/pseuds/CALLEN37
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kensi is on the hunt for White Ghost, but finds more than she's looking for, suddenly she has a lot more to protect and an unlikely ally. Requested by bdn2372 cover art by @MeleenaCollins.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Kensi had been in Afghanistan for three months, three months and all she'd had from Deeks was a phone call over Christmas, she really missed him. They had just started out on their relationship, she was known as one date Blye for a reason, not one she had ever wanted to divulge, but she hadn't wanted Deeks to be a part of the one date rule.

She lay there on her bunk looking at the photo he'd sent her in his suit. She knew that he was different, he was her partner, he knew she could let him in. but she had he secrets and wasn't sure if she was ready to share her biggest with him.

Granger knocked on the door, "Blye, we have a lead on White Ghost." He called through the door.

"On my way; 20 minutes ok?" she asked.

"Sure I'll make you coffee, I'll be at the map table." Granger said walking away.

Kensi's view of Granger had changed a lot since they had come out here.

She looked over the map of the terrain, Granger pointing out the last location of White Ghost, "How fresh is this Intel?" she asked.

"Four hours, although I checked in with our man watching him, he's been bunking with the local Taliban Cell, he hasn't left yet." Granger told her.

She looked at the photo's "who's the smaller person with him?" she asked,

"We don't know, he's never seen unmasked, but he shoots as well as the White Ghost does, I know people call him Ghost and the shorter guy goes by Casper."

Kensi smiled, "The friendly Ghost huh?" she chuckled.

"Not so friendly." Granger pulled CIA footage of Casper shooting at a bomb that took out a Military transport.

Kensi looked impressed "That's a hard target even for a sniper, a bomb that small at 500 yards."

"Yeah, White Ghost is the priority but Casper is the danger."

"I'll keep an eye out for him." Kensi said turning to her gun, she checked the sights before she packed it away in her case.

"I'm your spotter Blye." Granger said putting his bag down next to her.

She looked up at him, "Ok you ready?" she asked.

He nodded and they went outside and climbed into the humvee that was waiting for them.

* * *

Setting up on the ridge above the caves that she'd been told was the latest place that White Ghost was hiding she checked her sights.

She looked through her scope as Granger checked out the distance with his binoculars, "Who's that?" Kensi asked as a young girl of about 7 came out; she walked over to the well and filled a bucket with water.

"Dunno, maybe a native?" Granger shrugged.

Kensi looked at the child a familiar pang tugged at her heart and she fought it down, here and now was not the place to think about that.

"Sabatino is going in undercover, he's set up with a local Taliban group, and they are going to introduce him to White Ghost today, watch for him." Granger advised.

Kensi nodded and settled in, the one part of being a sniper she didn't like was the waiting, but it was needed, she watched as a man came up in a Jeep. The girl ran up to him holding a cup, the man removed his scarf and took a sip.

He threw the cup and her feet and backhanded her around the face. She fell to her knees, not crying or making a sound she picked up the cup, nodded and headed back to make another cup.

Kensi's grip tightened on her trigger.

"Wait Blye." Granger said. "I know you wanna shoot that guy, but we aren't here to stop kids getting hurt, we are here to make sure White Ghost does not get away, you tip our hand too soon and we'll lose him."

Kensi gave a curt nod, not loosening her finger at all.

Sabatino pulled up with the local Taliban leader. He got out of the car and the man from earlier with the girl in tow walked over to them.

The man pointed to the girl talking to the local tribesman, she shook her head and tried pulling away. The tribesman nodded and handed a bag over to the man Sabatino signaled as White Ghost.

She raised her rifle to shoot him between the eyes as he turned and took off his helmet to wipe his forehead.

"NO!" Kensi dropped the rifle and looked shocked at Granger.

"That's Jack!...then that's?" she said shocked, she raised the rifle, she shot Jack through the shoulder and the kneecap and then aimed at the Taliban leader who was trying to pull the girl away from Jack who was rolling around on the floor in pain.

"NO!" Kensi said her voice rough and shot the Taliban leader through the forehead and he dropped to the ground dead.

"What the HELL!" Sabatino yelled into his walkie, "Granger what the Hell happened?"

* * *

The girl pulled a gun out of her pants and aimed at Sabatino and shifted her aim as Kensi got up and ran over the dune towards the chaos.

Sabatino pulled his gun on the girl.

"I ain't gonna hurt you kid; you wanna help yourself, put the gun down and tell us who Casper is."

The girl looked him right in the eyes; her eyes looked familiar to him as she stepped towards Jack protecting him.

Kensi tripped as she ran down the dune, running towards them, "KAYLA!" she screamed.

The girl looked blankly as Jack moved and grabbed his gun, and aimed it at the girl. "You ain't getting her." Jack snarled as Kensi skidded to a halt.

"No…Jack please, is it her? Is it really?" she asked her heart thudding wildly as she got her breath back.

Sabatino and Granger covered Kensi not really sure what to do.

Jack smiled, "Say hi to mommy; Kens, say goodbye." He snarled and his finger tightened on the trigger.

His body twitched as both Sabatino and Granger shot him.

The girl screamed and flung herself on her father. "Daddy!"

"Kayla…honey…" Kensi said walking over to her.

The girl looked at her, "who are you?" she asked, "Why did you shoot my daddy?"

"Kayla…" Kensi looked stricken.

Sabatino looked over at the scene, White Ghost was dead on the ground, the local Taliban leader next to him, and the only person he could get answers from was the girl.

"We need to bring her in, we still need to find Casper." Sabatino said to Granger who nodded.

She looked up at the name, and pulled her gun on them, "I am not going with you." She snapped.

"What's your name kid, we won't hurt you."

"Kayla," Kensi said.

"Casper…My name is Casper." She said.

Kensi looked like she was going to cry, it was such a foreign look for her Granger had to look twice, Bad Ass Blye as the LA team called her was actually crying.

"No…" she sobbed, "Not you…he couldn't?"

The girl looked up at the crying woman and reached out a hand to brush the tear stained face, it struck a chord in her, something she remembered from when she was very little.

"Momma…" she whispered and then snatched her hand back.

Kensi looked at her and nodded, "Yeah Kayla…do you remember me?"

"Casper…my name is Casper…she shook her head, you can't be my momma, she's dead." She said flatly. "You're lying."

Kensi sat up and took a locket from around her neck on a very long chain. "Look."

She opened the locket to show the girl who slowly put her gun down. Granger took the gun and handed it to Sabatino.

"That's…that's me?" she said amazed.

Kensi nodded.

Kayla blinked, "But…he said…he told me…" she turned around and threw herself on his body, only this time she wasn't crying she was hitting his corpse. "You lied….Daddy you lied…I HATE YOU!" she screamed hitting him.

"Kayla." Kensi said standing up, Granger walked up to her and put a hand on her arm, but she shook him off.

"Kayla Jade Blye…" Kensi said.

Kayla stopped hitting her father's body and turned around.

"You…you really are her?!" Kayla asked amazed.

Kensi nodded and Kayla ran towards her mother and wrapped her arms around her.

"Well?" Sabatino said to Granger. "How are we going to write this one up?" he asked.

Granger looked at Kensi, who looked up suddenly scared.

"Casper and White Ghost are dead." He pointed to the local tribesman, "That is Casper; you know nothing about a girl. Kensi is going home." Granger said.

"Granger, I can't…" Kensi started.

"You and you're daughter will come with me," Granger said. "Sabatino, she is classified. No one will hear about this."

Sabatino nodded, "Your secret is safe with me kid." he said.

* * *

Kayla walked with her mother to the Jeep and got in the keys were still in the ignition, driving back to the spot where Kensi and Granger had waited, Kayla watched from the Jeep as her mother and the strange man packed up their things.

"Kayla, do you have any belongings?" Granger asked.

Kayla shook her head, everything she owned belonged to her father, nothing was hers she knew that.

Granger looked over at Kensi, "We will get her out as fast as we can, if the CIA find out she is Casper, they'll be after her."

"Why are you helping me?" Kensi asked him as Kayla watched warily from the backseat of the jeep.

"I owed your father, and he would do the same to protect you." He said simply.

Kensi nodded and climbed into the jeep.

They drove on until they reached the edge of the camp.

"Stay here, I'll get your stuff and get you both on a transport out of here. You'll go back to the US but for now do NOT make contact with your team; I'll give you my number so you can call me. But keeping her safe from the CIA is our first priority," he told her.

Kensi sat in the Jeep as Granger walked into camp, this was all too much, this was supposed to be a simple assignment, Kill White Ghost and get out. Not this.

"What's gonna happen to me?" Kayla asked from the backseat.

"I'm taking you home to America," Kensi said.

"But he…the man said that the CIA want me," Kayla asked her voice scared, "I only did as Dad told me to."

Kensi sighed, "Granger will help us, I trust him and there is always Hetty."

"Hetty?"

Kensi smiled, "Someone the same size and just as formidable as you are."

Kayla looked at her mother with awe. "Really? And they can protect me?"

"We will all protect you." Kensi promised.

They looked up as Granger walked back with two bags, "I got your stuff a few extra things for the kid I could scrounge. Get on the plane at Kandahar and it will fly you into San Diego, go to this address on arrival, I'll be there in a few days." He said handing her a key and a piece of paper.

"Stay there, I will let Hetty know you are back, but do NOT contact anyone else." Granger warned, "We have to clear her name before the CIA try and turn her into an asset." Granger said.

Kensi nodded as she started the Jeep up, "Thank you Owen." She said honestly. "I owe you one."

"Good, when I get back you can explain about all of this." Owen smiled at her and then at the girl, "Safe flight kid." He said.

She nodded and held onto her seatbelt as Kensi floored the gas pedal.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Waking up as the plane touched down in San Diego, a marine put his hand on her shoulder, "We've landed Miss. You wanna wake the kid up?" he asked.

Kensi smiled and looked over at the sleeping child, it was real. The sleeping seven-year-old beside her shifted as Kensi moved her arm.

"Momma?" she asked, as she opened her eyes.

"I'm here, and it is real." Kensi said, smiling at her child.

Kayla looked shocked; she'd had dreams about her mother all her life. A kind but sad woman, who had sat by her bed crying. She reached out with her hand and touched Kensi's cheek.

"We've landed Baby. We have to go." Kensi said, moving away.

"No!" Kayla grabbed Kensi's shirt, "Don't leave me." She sobbed.

Kensi picked her up, and with the help of the same Marine, who had woken her, exited the plane.

She was surprised to find Hetty and a car on the tarmac waiting for her.

"Hetty?" Kensi said in shock, staring at the diminutive woman.

"Owen called me; we need to get you two settled as soon as possible."She said opening the door and helping Kensi in with her child.

* * *

They pulled up outside a gated house; Hetty got out and typed in a number on the keypad. Climbing in the car she waited as the gates opened.

"Where are we?" Kensi asked tiredly.

"One of my homes, one Mr. Callen does not know about…it is used from time to time as a safe house. I have had it kitted out ready for you to help your daughter acclimatize to being with you."

Kensi stepped out of the car and looked in awe at the house. It was huge; it had a large red bricked entrance. It was without a doubt the largest house she had ever seen.

"What's the security like?" she asked concerned for her daughters safety,

"No one will get in here, you will both be safe. I have a room prepared for Miss Kayla. If you would like to bring her inside, I am sure the jet lag will have left her tired." Hetty walked into the house and started up the stairs as Kensi picked Kayla up bringing her inside.

Kensi stopped at the room Hetty had made available for her daughter; the room was light and airy, with flowing silk curtains and a pile of cuddly toys, books, games and a large soft bed with lots of pillows.

"It's….wonderful Hetty, thank you." She breathed.

She lay Kayla down on the bed and the little girl instinctively grabbed a bear that was near her and curled up into a ball exhaustion fueling her sleep.

* * *

Kensi walked downstairs with Hetty and sank into a chair as Hetty poured her a cup of tea.

"I…I don't know what to do?" She sighed, "I never thought that White Ghost would be Jack."

She took a sip of the tea allowing the fragrance of the brew to calm her, "What do I do know?" she asked tears she had held back now spilling from her mismatched eyes.

"It will be ok." Hetty said worried etching her features at the state of her young agent.

"How?" Kensi asked wiping her eyes, "I am in the U.S. Hiding my daughter from a government agency on U.S. soil. The daughter that only you knew about and oh yeah, her father turned her into a killer!" she looked totally broken.

"She's seven years old Hetty, she is a better shot than I am, she's killed people, he took my Baby's innocence." She sobbed and Hetty moved to sit next to her.

"She should be playing with dolls, and dressing up as a princess, and….and…playing with kittens and skipping…instead she's building I.E.D's killing troops and working with the Taliban…she's a child soldier, not a child…Hetty, I've been looking for her for so long, I want my baby back!" Kensi broke down and held Hetty, not caring that this was her boss, who she usually feared; right now she was another woman, a woman who knew her secret that she could not tell other people.

"Kensi." Hetty took the other woman's chin in her hand and lifted her face, handing her a tissue so she could wipe her eyes. "Owen told me all about this, we will protect you both. What were you told?"

Kensi took the pre-offered tissue and wiped her eyes, "Owen said he would contact me as soon as he could and that I was not. Under any circumstances, to contact the team."

"That would be wise, in the circumstances." Hetty advised, "I will have to get a new birth certificate for your daughter, and a new identity."

Kensi looked panicked, "She must still be my daughter, I'm not losing her again and I won't allow anyone else to have her." She said defensively.

"Will you be able to talk her into having a new name?" Hetty asked, "If anyone connects her to Jack or Casper, you are not going to be able to hide her,"

"I think, I need to leave with her, until it's safe, make a whole new start." Kensi said her eyes darting to the exits already.

"You will stay here for a week; rest, there are things I need to sort out." Hetty said, "Go upstairs, you need some sleep. Your room is next to your daughters' I will be here when you wake." She said ushering the younger woman out.

Hetty watched as Kensi went upstairs. She reached into her purse and got out her phone, "Mr. Deeks, I have a top secret assignment for you, meet me at this address…"

* * *

Owen Granger all but growled at the head of the CIA, "I don't care; I have Intel that says your report was wrong Granger. I know about Jack McKinley, I know about Casper…More importantly I know you have her." The director yelled at him.

Owen looked at the large monitor, shivering slightly not sure whether it was the cold, or the fact that he had a very bad feeling about this.

"I don't have anyone." Owen said honestly.

"Sabatino!" The Director roared over the secure connection spotting the CIA agent in the background.

"Sir?" Sabatino stood next to Granger looking totally innocent a knot of concern filling his core as he looked at the Director of the CIA on the screen.

"Where is she?" The Director asked.

"Who Sir?" Sabatino asked being as vague as possible.

"Casper… or Blye…my sources say they were seen together landing in San Diego…I will find them." The director snarled as he cut off the connection.

"Damn…Granger is there any way you can warn Kensi. I don't know who has been reporting to the director behind my back, I thought I had this all in hand…unless…" Sabatino stopped in mid sentence and ran to where he had a pile of Jack's things. Rifling through the things they had gathered from the cave, Sabatino picked up Jack's laptop and switched it on.

"Owen…" he breathed. "Jack was CIA…that means they already knew about Casper and…" Sabatino stopped as he read the files on Jack's laptop. "They were training her; the kid…Casper is a CIA asset."

Owen looked horrified, "But she's a child?" He looked at the plans on Jack's laptop, "They can't be allowed to find her and complete this mission." He sat down in shock, "I need to fill Hetty in, and Kensi will need to disappear."

* * *

Deeks pulled up outside the gates of the large house.

Monty sat in the backseat of the car his tail wagging happy to be out with his master, Deeks looked over at him and scratched his ear, "You, be on your best behavior," he warned the ageing police dog as he drove through the gates and parked up outside the house.

He got out and grabbed his bag that Hetty had instructed him to bring.

Before he even got a chance to ring the bell the door opened.

"Hetty?" he said looking at the operations manager.

"Please, come in Mr. Deeks." Hetty moved aside and ushered him and Monty to the kitchen where there was a mug of coffee already on the side and a bowl of water and dog kibble on the floor for Monty who made a beeline straight for them.

"I have an assignment for you." She said as he sat watching her.

Deeks nodded, "Ok, what is it?" he asked there were no files and Bates' hadn't known anything about it, only that Hetty had requested him for an assignment and that he should go.

"I need you to take on a long term undercover assignment; you are to protect a woman and her child." Hetty said to him.

There was a sound as a small girl walked into the kitchen and looked terrified at the pair of them.

Hetty smiled, "Are you hungry my dear?" she asked.

The girl nodded her huge brown eyes looking for something familiar.

Hetty got a bowl of what looked to Deeks like a leftover curry and flat bread and placed it on the table. The child stared at it hungrily. "It is alright little one, you may eat it."

She watched the adults with scared eyes and snatched the bread and moved to the corner on the floor to eat next to the dog.

Hetty sensing the child's fear gave her the bowl and backed away.

* * *

"God…what happened to her?" Deeks whispered.

"She was in Afghanistan where she was a child soldier. Her father was Ms Blye's target." Hetty said quietly.

"Why am I here?" Deeks asked.

"Her mother needs someone she can trust to watch her back and keep them both safe, until we can make it safe for the girl to be allowed to live in America."

Deeks looked at the child, something tugged his heartstrings watching as she ate the food with gusto. "What's her name?" he asked.

"Right now, her name is…" Hetty started.

"Kayla? KAYLA!" Kensi called running down the stairs, "Hetty I can't find her!" she yelled in a panic.

"Momma?" Kayla got up ran passed a shocked Deeks and jumped into her mother's arms.

"Oh my God…Baby, I was so worried," Kensi snatched the child up and hugged her tightly.

"Momma…food…" Kayla pointed to her dish on the floor.

Kensi hadn't noticed Deeks and looked at Hetty, "Why was my daughter eating with…Monty?"

Kensi turned around looking at a thoroughly shocked Deeks.

"Why is he here?" she asked standing between her daughter and Deeks.

* * *

"There has been a complication; Mr. Deeks is going into protective custody with you. Owen called with some information that means that young Kayla is actively being sought, as well as you are, by the CIA."

"I thought that Sabatino was going to cover for us?" Kensi asked her grip on her daughter tightening.

"Mommy?" Kayla said as she squirmed in her mother's arms.

"Sorry." Kensi put her down and watched as she walked up to the dog, eyeing it carefully.

"Jack was CIA." Hetty said "They were training Kayla."

Kensi moved back a step and Deeks put his hand supportively on her shoulder.

"What am I going to do?" Kensi breathed her hand covering Deeks'.

Hetty smiled slightly although her voice became grim. "You Ms Blye, along with Mr. Deeks and young Kayla, are going to run."

 


	3. Chapter 3

Six months, it had been six months since Kensi, Deeks and Kayla ran.

They had had no contact with Hetty since the day they had left. Deeks and Kensi both had gone missing from NCIS and LAPD.

They had taken their guns, but left their badges behind. They had taken a small bag each and left at the dead of night, Kayla now Cassie sleeping most of the way, for two months they wandered aimlessly, New Mexico, Arizona where Cassie had had some intensive child therapy with a friend of Hetty's, Texas, Oregon, then back to California, having brought a trailer when they finally arrived in a small town called Smith River. Deeks had taken a job as the local handyman. He'd had his hair cut and dyed brown. The new family all had new identities.

Mark Jackson, his wife, Karen Jackson and their daughter, Cassie Jackson lived quietly. Cassie was homeschooled by Karen, the story being that she had been behind in as the family had travelled a lot although she was looking at joining the local school. Being the daughter of the well loved handyman meant that not too many people asked questions. Karen was a quite homemaker, she made Jams and bread and cheese with the few animals they kept on a smallholding and took them once a month with Cassie into the local store.

* * *

Deeks woke up as Kensi shifted in his arms, her warm breath ghosting over his chest.

"Good morning Karen." He grinned.

Kensi looked up at him sleepy. She kissed him gently. "Morning Mark." She yawned. "Do you have any appointments today?" she asked. She hoped not, but they did need the money.

Kensi ran her hand over the new bump that was forming in her stomach; Karen Jackson was four months pregnant with their first son.

"And good morning to you I hope you are going to be good for Daddy?" Deeks asked kissing her bump.

"I'm sure he will," Kensi smiled.

"What do you have planned today?" he asked.

"Cassie and I are going into town, I need a few more things for the baby and I have a new batch of bread to sell." She smiled.

Deeks sat up and pulled his shirt on, "That reminds me, I have a job at the store today…Simon needs new shelves," he told her. "Do you want a ride?" he asked.

"After breakfast." She smiled, it was surprising that since Kensi had left she had taken cooking courses and found she actually had a flair for it. Having been teased by Deeks over the fact that she could actually cook she proceeded to find that baking was her specialty.

Deeks walked into the hallway and was bowled over by a small puppy, "Bella?" he said to the small black and white pit-bull cross, "Calm down girl," he opened the door and let her out into the garden.

"Daddy?!" a voice came from down the hall as the eight-year-old came running down the hall, "Bella took my ribbon!" she cried.

"This one?" Deeks asked handing Cassie a small purple ribbon.

"Thank you." Cassie said kissing her father's cheek as she took it, "Pancakes Daddy?" she asked.

Deeks nodded, "Mommy is in the shower, so I'm cooking." He grinned.

"Yay…Chocolate chips!" she clapped and sat at the counter as Deeks got the fixings for pancakes out.

"NO CHOCOLATE CHIPS!" Kensi yelled from the bathroom.

"KAREN!" Deeks yelled back. He turned to Cassie and put his fingers to his lips. "Shhh!" he grinned as he poured a handful of chocolate chips into her pancakes.

Cassie giggled as she watched him.

It was amazing to Deeks how quickly she had taken to him, he loved the way she called him Daddy and was opening up at home. She was still very wary of strangers but since the wedding in New Mexico under their new names she had shyly the next morning asked if she could call him Daddy and he hadn't stop smiling for 2 days. Cassie in return hadn't stopped smiling when 3 months ago they announced that they were having a new baby. The fact she was going to be a big sister meant a lot to her and she was learning all about child development in her online courses and was loving the fact her parents had allowed her to go to the first appointment and saw her brother on the Sonogram.

Deeks would every evening do a circuit around the town jogging, becoming a friendly face, drumming up work for them and keeping an eye out for new faces, while Cassie caught up with her schoolwork, as although she was homeschooled now she was joining the local school in the fall.

"Bella!" Cassie called as the puppy bounded inside and sat next to her.

Deeks had been training the puppy to protect his daughter and so far Bella was living up to the task. The two of them were inseparable. Bella was slightly crazy, but loved Cassie totally and would let her do anything to her, as Deeks found out when Bella came down the morning before with eye-shadow and lipstick and a big red bow.

After laughing for twenty minutes he and Cassie had bathed the dog.

* * *

Callen and Sam were still at OSP in LA.

The building seemed quieter since Deeks had disappeared.

They assumed it was because Kensi had been killed by an IED in Afghanistan. Sam had reached out to Deeks as soon as the team had been told of her death to find out that he had given Monty to Hetty and had taken a small bag and left the next day.

Hetty was uncharacteristically quiet on the subject; Callen had assumed that after Dominic, losing Kensi was talking its toll on her. Callen had asked Eric and Nell to run a trace on Deeks' car, only to find it in a parking lot at LAX.

After three months Granger had come back to L.A. with Agent Sabatino, who had been transferred from the CIA to work on the L.A. team…he left after two more months. Callen and Sam were unwilling to work with him, he wouldn't tell them how Kensi died and they blamed him and Granger for not protecting her.

Granger for his own part would not talk about Kensi or Deeks at all.

Callen found it unnerving.

"I hate that they are keeping secrets from us." Callen said as Sam walked behind him out of the mission for the day.

"Is this why you're still giving Hetty the cold shoulder?" Sam asked.

"I don't know what you mean?" Callen replied cagily.

"You don't sit with Hetty and chat to her anymore; you come in do your job and go home."

"So do you?" Callen countered.

"Do you blame her?" Sam asked as they climbed into the challenger.

"No…I blame the guy who killed Kensi, Sabatino and Granger for not watching her back…I…I'm disappointed with Hetty for not pulling her in time." Callen admitted, "And I'm really mad with Deeks, for running away!" Callen growled. "We could have helped him."

"He didn't want to be helped." Sam said sadly, he owed Deeks so much and it hurt him as well that their liaison officer had left his badge with Hetty and had dropped off the face of the earth.

"I can't believe even Eric and Nell couldn't find him." Callen said, "It's so strange they can find anyone."

Sam shrugged, "Only if they don't know that the wonder twins are looking, Deeks knows so he can hide from them."

"I hate to say it but I miss our old team, I don't want to break in two new agents." Callen said looking at the pile of applicants in his bag.

"We need two more," Sam sighed, "They'll never be Kensi and Deeks but it is needed. We can't let the bad guys get the upper hand because we are short handed."

Callen begrudgingly agreed with them.

Callen stopped as his phone rang, "its Nell." He said.

"Callen." He said on answer. He listened for a few moments and nodded, "We'll head down there you sent the information to our phones."

"We're off to a small town called, Smith River, a Marine had been murdered." Callen told Sam. "Nell will brief us on the way. We are just going to blend in with the locals and see if we can find his killer."

* * *

In OSP, Hetty walked down the stairs and looked over to see Granger at her desk.

"Owen?" she said surprised, "Is everything ok. I haven't seen you for months, is everything alright?" she asked worried.

"As far as I know, I got a package in the mail today, addressed to both of us." Granger said and handed Hetty a package.

Hetty opened it and looked down at the wedding picture of Deeks and Kensi with Kayla standing happily with them.

"They look like a happy couple." Granger said.

"Is the CIA still looking?" Hetty asked trailing her finger over the faces of her missing agents. And despite the fact he was LAPD Deeks was still one of hers.

Granger nodded, "Still."

Hetty moved the picture, looked at the child's drawing and then a small photograph underneath.

"Oh…my…."she smiled and showed Owen the grainy black and white picture in her hand.

"Really….that's a real wedding picture?" Owen said amazed, "And that's…!"

Hetty smiled, "A baby…"

* * *

Kensi and Cassie walked into the store as Deeks was putting up shelves and handed him a flask of coffee and a packet of sandwiches.

"Daddy…Can I have some candy?" she asked grinning.

"If it's ok with mommy, you can see if Simon has some in his store."

Kensi smiled as Simon walked out from the back, "Karen, Cassie…good morning." Simon Pantling walked out of his storeroom to meet his two newest favorite customers.

"Candy?" Cassie asked as she walked over to him.

"Candy huh?" Simon smiled, "Ok…he led her to the jars of candy in the store."

Cassie grinned as she looked over the candy looking for her favorite and frowned when she didn't see it. "Oh and this one." Simon picked up her favorite from the back and she grabbed a handful of candy and put it in the bag. Giving Simon the money he handed the child her candy and watched as she skipped over happily sucking on a tootsie pop to watch her father work.

"Did you hear?" Simon said as he sat on a chair next to Kensi.

"What?" Kensi asked as she took the chair he offered.

"There was a murder last night at the local high school."

"Really?" Kensi and Deeks both turned to Simon.

"Who?"

"Chuck Yeager poor kid was only 25, just done a tour in the corps. Was home on leave."

"That's nasty, Cops got a lead?" Kensi asked.

"I have no idea Karen; it's been the talk in the Laundromat all morning. I heard about 20 minutes ago." He said, "Sally and Frank are devastated."

"That's so awful," Kensi said keeping her cover intact.

"Mommy, Can we bake Aunt Sally and Uncle Frank a cake?" Cassie asked.

Kensi nodded, "If Simon has everything we need?" Kensi asked.

Sally Yeager was a teacher at the local high school and had been helping Cassie with her catch up lessons; as a result they had become very close.

Cassie ran over to the shelves and looked for what her mother needed.

* * *

As soon as the shopping was done, Deeks helped Kensi exit the store putting the bags in the back of the truck, telling Bella who was sitting in the back not to eat the groceries.

Deeks kissed Kensi as a familiar black car drove into the main street and pulled over not believing what they were seeing.

"Is…Is that Deeks…?" Callen said.

"And Kensi?" Sam asked just as stunned.

They got out of the car as Deeks called, "Cassie…get in the car, stop bothering Simon."

"Coming Daddy!" a small voice replied as Sam and Callen exchanged glances.

"Mark?" Simon came out, "Karen…oh good, I hoped you hadn't gone yet. You forgot your vitamins for the baby." He said handing her a package.

Karen walked over and kissed Simon on the cheek, "Thank you, tell Sally I'll be over later as soon as I bake a second cake…Cassie inherited her father's talent for cooking." She laughed as Deeks wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey I can cook!" Deeks protested.

"It's true, Daddy makes the bestest Chocolate chip pancakes…..Err….with blueberries…" Cassie said and squealed as Deeks lifted her up and spun her around.

"DADDY!" Cassie squealed with laughter,

Deeks stopped halfway round as he spotted Sam and Deeks walking up the sidewalk.

"Ka…Karen," Deeks said in a strangulated voice as he lowered his daughter to the ground.

Kensi turned around at the sound automatically searching for Cassie.

Her eyes stopped as they landed on some familiar blue ones.

"Callen?" she breathed.

Sam and Callen looked at their missing detective and his obviously pregnant 'dead' partner.

"Well…This is a surprise…" Callen said coldly.

"Daddy?" Cassie said looking at the two men with fear.

"Get in the truck Cassie." Deeks said in a flat voice, "Karen, take Cassie home."

"But mommy I want to stay with Daddy?" Cassie moaned.

"I think you should all come with us." Sam said.

"Go!" Deeks hissed and Kensi moved to the car.

"Kensi?" Sam said.

Kensi looked at them with tears in her eyes, "Please…Sam, Callen, forget you saw us. Just let us go please?" she asked.

Sam looked at her bump. "Deeks'?" he asked.

"Yes it is my husband's child," She took out a pen and paper, "Come here, after you've completed your investigation, we will explain everything." She promised. She turned and kissed Deeks, "Finish up Mark and come home, we'll talk to our friends." She said.

"Is everything ok?" Simon asked.

Kensi smiled, "My brother, I haven't seen him for a long time." Karen explained gesturing to Callen and hoping he wouldn't say anything.

"Ok, I will see you later Karen, please…be there." Callen replied hugging his 'sister' but not wanting to let her go.

"We'll be there."

"Well if it's family," Simon smiled. "Mark you head home with your family these shelves will keep till tomorrow."

Deeks nodded, "I'll put my tools away and then I'll go, Thanks Simon."

Callen and Sam went to deal with the murder and Kensi, Deeks and Cassie along with Bella went home.

The young family walked in the door and closed it, Cassie and Bella going off to play in her room.

Kensi held onto Deeks and burst into tears as her hormones overwhelmed her, "Deeks…what are we going to do?" she sobbed.

"I dunno Kenz, it'll be ok…I promise it will be ok." He said as he held his wife tightly.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Callen and Sam, took notes and talked to people looking into the case of Chuck Yeager, it was pretty cut and dried, Chuck had been murdered by the new boyfriend of his ex girlfriend, it turned out not to be too big a deal, which both men were thankful for as right now they didn't want to be at the local high school but assisting the sheriff in taking the murderer away, the sheriff turned to Callen.

"So Agent…Callen?" he smiled, "You're Karen Jackson's brother?" he asked.

Callen nodded, "That's right, I lost touch with her after she got married, it was a shock seeing her this morning." He admitted.

"The Jacksons are a lovely couple, she's suck a good cook…Makes pies for the town and sells them in store."

"Karen cooks?" Callen asked incredulously.

The sheriff smiled, "Oh yeah, I pick up one of her pies at least once a week." He nodded, "I think I have some in the car from this morning if you want to try some." He offered.

"No thanks." Callen and Sam said together.

The sheriff looked at them strangely. Callen smirked, "I used to eat her mud pies, never got rid of the taste." He laughed.

"Well young man, I hope you don't go upsetting them, the Jacksons are a wonderful family, a great credit to the town." He said and turned to take his suspect into custody.

Sam turned to Callen, "I suppose we'd better go and see your sister then." He smiled as they got in the car.

As they drove off the smile slipped.

"Do you think they've been here all this time?" Sam asked.

Callen shrugged, "I don't know, I want to know why Granger and Hetty said she was dead…I'm wondering if they knew, I mean Granger had to know, but Hetty? She wouldn't have kept us in the dark…and Deeks…Why did he not feel like he could tell us what was going on I mean we are a team." Callen sighed.

* * *

Cassie put a dress on while her mother cooked dinner and her father tidied the house up, Bella was running around Cassie's feet as she came into the kitchen and climbed up kneeling on a chair with her elbows on the counter.

"Mommy?" she said waiting as her mother pulled a hot pan out of the oven; she basted some meat and put it back in again.

"Was that man my uncle?" she asked having heard what her daddy had said to Simon in the store.

"Kinda…" Kensi said looking over at the cookbook she was working from.

"What about the other man?" she asked.

"Callen and Sam are both your uncles. Not in blood, but they are good friends of mine and daddy's from a while ago."

"From before you found me again?"

"Uh huh." Kensi reached into a cupboard and found that with her bump she couldn't reach the shelf she needed. "Mark?!" she called.

"You ok?" Deeks asked running in.

Kensi smiled, "I'm fine baby, but I can't reach the cardamon on the top shelf…Can you?" she asked.

He reached up and handed it to her, "We're all ready, for them, Come on kiddo, you can help me set the table." He grinned.

Cassie jumped off the chair as Kensi mouthed thank you. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and Deeks and Cassie set the table, Cassie running out into the garden to pick wildflowers for the table.

The house, well an oversized log cabin, in itself was rustic; there was an internet connection, which was rarely used. There was a generator but no mains electricity and there was a bottled gas supply out the rear of the building, in a room which Deeks kept locked up as it also held the guns, and though Cassie was still a better shot than either of them, they had taken the therapists advice and kept things like that out of her way so she wouldn't be reminded of her past, just her future as a loved little girl and above all else Kensi and Deeks were determined to give that to her.

Cassie put her flowers in an old glass jar which she had hand painted into a vase and put it in the middle of the table as Sam and Callen pulled up in the challenger.

Deeks looked at Cassie, "Tell mommy they're here, I have to have a quick word with them first." He said and went out the front of the house.

* * *

"Guy's you have to leave your guns in the car." Deeks said.

Sam shook his head, "No way." He snapped, "Portal to portal, you know the rule." He said.

"We do not allow guns in our house, it upsets Kensi and the baby, and it'll put Cassie's therapy back." He said not budging his position.

Callen looked at him, "Cassie's frightened by guns?" he asked.

Deeks shook his head, "It's a long story, but you won't be upsetting my daughter if you want to come in, it's your choice guys." Deeks said.

Callen nodded and took his gun and put it in the glove box. "Sam." He said.

"Fine…this is stupid," he snapped and handed Callen his gun.

"Karen's cooked." Deeks grinned at their faces, "She's a great cook, she just hadn't learned before." He said "Come on your just in time to eat."

They walked in and both were surprised at the delicious smells coming out of the kitchen, Bella bounded up to the two men barking.

"Bella…Down…Friend." Deeks said Bella sat and waited as Deeks stroked behind her ear and she went to lie on the plaid rug in front of the open log fire.

"Nice." Callen said looking around "Very rustic." He commented.

Kensi walked in, in a flowing white sundress that accentuated her pregnancy bump in flat sandals, her hair was up in a ponytail and flowing down and she was in every sense of the word 'Glowing'.

"Sam, Callen…" she said smiling as she walked up to Deeks and held his hand.

"Mark and Karen, right?" Callen asked, trying to get it right.

Kensi nodded, "Yeah, we've been here about six months, do you want a drink?" she asked, they nodded and Kensi got 5 bottled waters from the fridge. "Please, sit down dinner ready." She smiled, "I can cook honest." She laughed.

Callen was surprised, she looked totally happy, not like they had remembered her. There was no junk food in the house, and no alcohol. "So no beer?" Callen asked looking at the bottled water.

"Marks rule, no alcohol means no accidentally turning into his father, besides, right now he'd be the only one who could drink." She said.

She got a large serving platter with a chicken on it out of the oven; it already had roast vegetables arranged around it.

"Sit." She said indicating two seats, they sat down, "Mark…Cassie…Dinner!" she called.

"Coming mommy." Cassie called back.

They both came in from the back garden Deeks wiping dirt down his pants and taking his work boots off, Cassie held out a bunch of daisies to her mother, "Daddy and I picked these for you." She smiled.

Kensi smelled them and popped them into another glass jar on the side with some water, "Go wash up, both of you and we'll eat." She said and headed to the table.

"Cassie?" Sam asked. As they both headed out of sight.

"Our daughter," Kensi said, "I'll explain after dinner."

"An assignment?" Callen asked.

"Sort of… please, let's eat first, I'm hungry and we'll talk after dinner, do you have rooms in town or have you wrapped the case up?" She asked while they waited for the others to join them.

"We're wrapped up, but we were going to see if we could get rooms and go back tomorrow, it's a long drive," Sam admitted.

Kensi nodded, "It took us six months to eventually find this place. We have 2 spare rooms, one's a guest room, and it has a bed, the other we are turning into a nursery for the baby. There's no bed, but Callen, if you have your bed roll you are welcome to stay the night." She said.

"Thank you." Callen said, this was surreal, here he was in a lovely tidy family home while one of his 'dead' junior agents made him dinner, he was trying to think about the program he watched as a child that this reminded him of…the twilight zone. He smiled as Cassie and Mark walked in talking about her lessons.

* * *

"You'll still have to carry on with your workbooks until Mrs. Yeager is ready to help you again." Deeks' voice carried down the hall.

"But daddy, we have guests, can I just skip lessons for tonight…we  _ **never**_ have guests!" she pleaded.

Cassie walked into the room and she instantly was quiet. Looking at the two men.

"Hello Cassie, I'm your uncle Sam," Sam smiled at her as if he was talking to his own daughters.

She looked him up and down suspiciously and looked at her mother who was totally relaxed and nodded, she gave a huge grin and ran into him hugging him, "Hi uncle Sam," he said.

Despite his reservations about what was going on here, Sam laughed.

"Smells great honey," Deeks said kissing his wife and sitting down.

She brought the food to the table, and dished everyone up a meal.

They ate mostly in silence with both Callen and Sam breaking it expressing how good the meal was. As Deeks cleared the dishes for dessert Cassie turned to both men, "Do you work with Uncle Owen?" she asked.

They looked surprised, "Owen? Granger?" Callen asked turning to Kensi.

"Uncle Owen saved me from my bad Daddy and helped me hide with mommy and my good daddy," she said.

"Your bad daddy?" Sam asked.

Kensi waited, this was the first time Cassie had talked about it and she wanted to see what she came out with.

Cassie nodded. "I used to have a bad name, Kayla Simon. But then mommy came to the desert and daddy lied to me and a man shot him and he went to heaven, but then the other bad men wanted to find me so mommy and uncle Owen took me to grandma Hetty's and she got daddy to come and take me and mommy here where it's safe, I'm gonna grow up and be a princess like my mommy and help look after my baby brother and now I have a nice name, Cassie Jackson." She said.

Callen had a whole slew of questions, but he could see the tell tale signs of a kid who had seen too much as was trying desperately to put it behind her, so he smiled and gave Sam a, 'don't say anything', look.

Deeks walked back in with a huge double chocolate fudge cake.

"Is it someone's birthday mommy? You made the double double cake; you only make that for birthdays." Cassie said.

"I made it because you've been very good this week and daddy and I love you." Kensi said with a smile.

"Mommy, can I take my cake to my room?" she asked, she was feeling good and decided to work some more on her project.

Kensi looked over at Deeks, "Sure kiddo, but I want your plate in the sink before bed ok?" Deeks said.

Cassie smiled a huge grin; she looked the spitting image of Kensi, "Thank you." She grabbed her plate and with a bright smile at the others ran off to her room.

* * *

Deeks brought coffee for Sam and Callen and herbal teas for him and Kensi and they ate cake around the table.

"Wow Kensi…you can really cook!" Sam exclaimed.

Kensi smiled "I never had a need before now." She admitted, "I did a course, two towns back. Mother and daughter course, so Cassie cooks as well."

"She's your daughter…not an assignment?" Callen asked.

"She is my daughter, I was engaged to a marine named Jack Simon for two years, we had a daughter Kayla, I had post partum depression and he had PTSD, I woke up one Christmas morning to find he had gone and taken her with him, no note…nothing, I was inconsolable for months. During that time I met Hetty, she knew I was looking for my father's killer, and she agreed to allow me to join your team and not have to mention Kayla's existence, I figured if you knew I had a child and she was missing, you would treat me different. I have spent years looking for her, it's the reason I never got past the first date, I couldn't tell them about her and I didn't want to lie to them. Then I got the mission in Afghanistan." She said.

"We were told you were killed by an IED, if you finished that mission why didn't you come home?" Callen asked.

"I kind of haven't finished the mission," she told them, "White Ghost is dead, it was Jack…but the CIA are still searching for Casper, his accomplice."

Sam nodded, "I've heard of Casper, crack shot, in and out like a ghost." He said.

"Cassie." Kensi told them.

"Cassie?" Callen asked.

Deeks put his cup down and held Kensi's hand, "Cassie was Casper. She was told I was dead and her father was abusing her and making her shoot things, but Jack was not rogue. The CIA knew what he was doing he was training my daughter to be able to infiltrate Taliban strongholds to kill the leaders."

Callen and Sam both looked shocked.

"Owen helped me smuggle her out of the country and Hetty put me and Cassie in protective custody, with Deeks."

"So not really married?" Callen asked.

Deeks gave them a goofy grin, "Nope, really married, and she's really having my child. We've been here six months; we don't want to move again. The CIA hasn't even heard of this place, we are as off the grid as possible, we don't even have cell phones. If you feel like you have to turn us in at least give us a year, let Kensi have the baby." He said. "Or do we have to leave tomorrow."

"You know we'd protect you right?" Sam said.

"It's not like that." Deeks said. "The CIA is still looking for Kayla Simon and Kensi Blye, they are not looking for Cassie and Karen Jackson, our covers are intact, I changed my name legally, Hetty has the papers, and then Mark Jackson married Karen Bailey. Cassie and our son are our top priorities, if you can be trusted to keep our secret then we can stay, Karen's fine but I don't want to put her or the baby under undue stress right now. We didn't want to disappear like that but keeping our daughter safe is my top priority." Deeks said with a maturity that they had never seen in him.

Sam nodded, he totally understood.

"We won't let anyone know where you are, do Hetty and Owen know?" Callen asked.

"I sent them a parcel last week; it had our wedding photos in it and a sonogram of our son." Deeks admitted.

Kensi stood up and walked into the living room and pulled an album out the others followed as Deeks walked into the kitchen, "I'll be back soon, I'm gonna do the dishes and a perimeter sweep." Deeks told them.

Callen put his head up, "Let me know when you do your sweep, I'll come with you." He said.

Deeks nodded and headed for the kitchen as Kensi opened the album, they looked down to see Kensi in a beautiful empire style white dress with a purple ribbon, and Cassie in a purple silk dress in a white ribbon holding a small bunch of daisies. "You look beautiful Kens." Sam said. He turned the page to see Deeks in a white suit with a light purple shirt. And cowboy boots on his feet.

"Cowboy boots," Callen laughed.

"We were in Texas." Kensi told them, "it was the same day Mark adopted Cassie." She smiled remembering the look on their daughters face when the judge who married Kensi and Deeks then turned and asked Cassie if she wanted Mark Jackson to adopt her.

Cassie had squealed and leapt into Deeks' arms, "You'll be my daddy?!" she yelled, "For reals!"

He had nodded and she had kissed his cheek.

"That was five months ago the day we became a real family, our names may be different and we may be in hiding but we will always do what's best for our children and having our daughter become a pawn in a CIA fight is not it. She doesn't have any secrets Jack never told her anything, but they still think she has Intel. Hetty's been keeping an ear to the ground, I am glad you know I'm not dead, and we are sorry for the sadness it caused you but we had to save her, she's our daughter." Kensi said.

Callen stood up and walked across the room, "I'm glad you're not dead to Kensi," he hugged her tight. "We will do what we can to help and one day you and Deeks will walk back into the mission, let Eric and Nell know your alive and come back to your family where you belong."

"I hope so too," Deeks said as he entered. "How long can you stay?" he asked.

"Tonight only, we have to head back tomorrow, we will let Hetty know we saw you and you're well," Sam said

"Only Hetty and Owen." Deeks warned.

"We got the riot act from your wife." Sam grinned.

Deeks smiled, he walked over and kissed her, "I'm locking up the perimeter Hun, and I'll be back soon." He told her.

"Stay safe." She said holding him tight.

Deeks smiled, "I have Bella and Callen, I'm gonna be fine." He grinned and whistled for the dog.

Kensi sank back into the couch and put her feet up, "Been a hell of a day Sam." She sighed.

He sat on the couch and took her foot massaging it the same way he had done when his wife was pregnant. "Yeah it has, I'm glad you're not dead Kensi."

She smiled, "Me too." She replied

 


	5. Chapter 5

Callen and Deeks walked around the perimeter of the property, checking the fences as Bella ran ahead her tail wagging.

"Nice Dog." Callen said as he watched her run wagging her tail.

Deeks shrugged, "I missed Monty." He said, "And Cassie's therapist said a pet would be good for her, and you can move quickly with a dog and its great protection."

"So what happened, from your point of view, I know what Kensi …" Callen stopped at the look Deeks gave him, "Sorry, Karen told us. But I wanna hear your point of view." He pushed.

"I got a call from Hetty, told I was needed for an undercover assignment and turned up at her house with Monty, there was this little girl looked no more than 5 but she was actually 7, terrified and jumpy, she wouldn't eat at the table with us, she'd been trained to eat with the animals so she sat with Monty, I had no idea, ya know." He said stopping and running his hand through his hair, "Callen I love that little girl so much like she's my own, I can't let them hurt her…Jack was training her with the aid of the CIA to be an undercover soldier, I mean, like those child soldiers in Africa, but a girl and in Afghanistan, with a full burkha on she could easily hide a weapon."

Deeks walked over to the stump he cut logs on and sat down.

"She's so wonderful, she's bright, funny. Exactly like Kensi…I'm her father…I mean not biologically but in every sense of the word she is mine and I will kill to keep her from the CIA." He said with a biting edge to his voice.

Callen nodded.

"Do you miss us?" Callen asked, he hoped not as Deeks and Kensi seemed to have found the perfect place to live.

"Only every damn day, I don't know about Karen. But I do, I miss the surf and the beach, and Eric and Nell and you guys…Hell." He laughed, "I even miss Bates on occasion, and the hardest part is seeing a crime in progress and having to act like I don't know what to do."

"You've done that?"

Deeks nodded, "The day before Karen and I got married, I'd gone with Cassie to buy the wedding rings from a small jewelers and it was robbed, I had to put Cassie behind me and keep her safe, the hardest part was stopping her from shooting them." He said with a wry smile. "She was so mad afterwards, we still got our rings, and she hid them. But she was so mad that they got away. She was so much like her mother it was all I could do not to smile at her." He admitted.

"She is a lot like her mother, but you can tell she loves you too." Callen said.

Deeks smiled shyly, "Thanks, I try my best."

"And you're having a son?" he said.

"We are, I do love her Callen, and you know that, all we want is to be a family, be able to come home and go back to work."

"But you can't?" he asked.

Deeks shook his head, "Not until Granger or Hetty say it's safe, we've been here the longest, we want to stay till the baby is born, I don't want to move Karen while she's pregnant."

"What can we do?" Callen asked.

"Keep our secret, Let Hetty know we are ok and it's a boy, we sent her a sonogram, tell her we will send a picture when he's born. We will move as soon as Karen is able to travel, but we may head nearer your way, somewhere with a beach." Deeks' eyes drifted off for a second and Callen could see how much this really hurt him.

"You never lived more than a mile from your childhood home, why was that?" He asked.

"My mother…she was hurt…by my father when I was eleven and I shot him, he'd been beating her up with a pipe, she had drugs on her and he wanted them." He admitted.

"God…How bad was it?"

"She's been in a coma since I was eleven, her insurance ran out a few years ago, I joined NCIS as a liaison as the extra pay pays for mom's care, Hetty's making sure she's ok, but I haven't seen her since I left and I used to see her once a week." He admitted.

Deeks took a small notepad and pen out of his pocket wrote an address on it and gave it to Callen, "Can you look in on her from time to time, please, just so she's not alone, I mean, they say she might be able to hear, tell her I'm alright." He looked away quickly to wipe the tears that were forming from his eyes.

"I'll look in on her, I promise." Callen said.

Deeks nodded his thanks and got up, whistling for Bella to join them. He switched on the perimeter lights and turned to walk back to the house.

"Don't tell Karen…about my mother, I don't want her to feel bad, the stress won't be good for the baby, I'd kinda appreciate it if you didn't tell Sam either," he said.

Callen nodded, "No problem,"

* * *

They walked back to the house as Cassie walked out of the kitchen.

"Daddy!" she laughed and jumped on his back, "Piggy back and story?" she asked.

Deeks smiled and handed Callen Bella's leash, "Put that back for me." He said pointing to a nail on the wall inside the doorway.

"Come on then," he laughed hiking her up and jogging past a smiling Kensi and a bemused Sam.

"He's a great father." Kensi said watching him go, "He loves us so much. But something is worrying him, did he say anything?" she asked Callen as he walked into the room.

"Nothing." Callen said.

Kensi looked at him, "Ok. So what are you guys planning on doing, you know Cassie is wanted by the CIA, you know why, my question is, are you taking us in now? Do we need to run?" she said.

"Neither, she's a kid and deserves to be one, and we can't arrest you, Karen Jackson and Mark Jackson are not wanted for anything, and If I pop out here every once in a while to see a foster sister I'm close too, who can begrudge me," Callen said with a smirk.

Kensi got off the couch and wrapped Callen in a hug, "Thank you." She said.

Callen looked out of the window, "It's getting late, Sam and I have an early start in the morning, you got anything you want us to take back to Hetty?" he asked.

"I'd like to write her a letter." Kensi said, "I can have it for you by the morning.

Callen nodded, "We won't leave without it."

"You won't leave without breakfast either," she said.

"Yes Ma'am." Callen grinned, he picked up his bedroll and headed for the room Kensi said he could use. As he opened the door, he could see the couple's preparations for their impending child. There was so much love poured into the room, a handmade crib, and changing table, hand painted pictures on the wall including one of their handprints with a space for the babies hand print. Deeks had already moved the crib so there was room for his bedroll he laid it out and lied back on the floor, thinking about how this day had gone much better than he had expected.

Kensi wasn't dead, Deeks hadn't dropped out and left them, he was protecting the most precious things on the planet, his family. He was mad that Hetty had known but not told them. In fact the more he thought about it the madder he got. But he held it in; there would be time for a face to face talk with her tomorrow. He sure as hell wasn't going to call her on an unsecured line and put them at risk. He did however send her a quick text then he lay back, practicing his Russian in his head until he started to doze off and finally slept.

In Los Angeles, Hetty was heading off to bed herself as she received Callen's text message.

Mother and baby fine, staying with a friend back tomorrow. Night Ma.

Hetty smiled as she figured it out, they had somehow found Kensi and Deeks, she took one more look at the message and then headed to bed, and she knew she would have some explaining to do tomorrow.

 


	6. Chapter 6

Despite Callen's rant at Hetty for keeping him in the dark, which had happened solely in her home, things had quickly settled back to normal for the guys at the mission.

Callen and Sam had been joined by two new team members Steven Decker and Mae Collins. Steve was right out of FLETC, and Mae had been an agent for a few years but she was young, full of life and reminded Callen a lot of Kensi.

They had settled in quite well, Decker was still a by the book agent and Sam was enjoying teaching him the skills he would need in the field. Mae who came from Texas was a more down to earth kind of girl and she laughed and joked with the boys with ease. Being the youngest of eleven children the rest boys Mae could handle what was thrown at her with ease, and Decker was the son of a Navy SEAL so he and Sam got along like a house on fire.

"Ya'll are late Callen." Mae drawled as he walked in one morning.

Callen shrugged and dropped his bag at his desk. "Been on the phone to my sister," he explained knowing only Sam and Hetty would realize he meant Kensi.

Mae looked at him strangely but said nothing as he got up and walked over to Hetty's office, "I thought he had no family?" she whispered to Sam.

"Foster sister, they were recently reconnected." Sam explained.

* * *

Hetty looked up as Callen walked into the office, "Good morning Mr. Callen." She smiled.

Callen grinned and got his smart phone out showing her the one picture on it that had been sent that morning.

"Callum Samuel Jackson; seven pounds three ounces, born this morning." He grinned.

Hetty looked at the baby, who was wrinkled with bright blue eyes and blond hair, much like his father, "And how are your sister and her husband?" she asked.

"Tired but ok, Cassie is thrilled to be a big sister, they are staying where they are for a month and then going to move again." He told her.

Hetty nodded looking again at the baby being held by Kensi, with Cassie smiling beside her mother and brother.

"Has there been any news?" Callen asked.

"Sabatino is still working behind the scenes, he thinks he will have all bases covered by the end of the month, but there is still some uncensored chatter out there." She warned.

"Anything they should worry about?" Callen asked instantly on the alert.

"Not yet." Hetty admitted but even her gut was worried. "I will keep an eye and inform you if you need to get word to them. Keep your cover, but you may quietly share your news with Sam." She said knowing his partner would want to know.

Callen jogged over to the bullpen, "Sam," he said and carried on to the hallway.

Sam followed him as Callen entered the file burn room.

"What's up?" Sam asked.

"Kensi had the baby this morning, Seven pounds three ounces, Callum Samuel Jackson." He showed Sam the picture.

"That is so cute, did De…Mark call you?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," Callen laughed "in a panic at 2am when she went into labor. Cassie was keeping him calm." He told his partner.

"Well uncle G, we should get back to work before the newbie's find out we are missing," Sam smiled.

"Drinks after work Uncle Sam?" Callen grinned as Sam nodded.

"You know it."

* * *

They worked through their cases and life seemed to settle down for them, Nell and Eric couldn't figure out the change in them since they had come back from the case in Smith River, but they were glad that they were back to the old Callen and Sam.

Another month passed Decker being annoying and still tripping up on new things like varying his route to work, which although he didn't understand why Sam was adamant he practiced it over and over again, Mae was getting used to wearing shoes other than Cowboy boots, and all three boys nearly fainted the first time Mae went undercover in a dress. She had worn a white chiffon dress with heels and Callen had been paired up as her partner. Even he thought she looked hot in the dress although there was no way he was going to say anything like that. But Decker did and got punched in the arm by Sam.

"Mr. Hanna, there is no need to physically assault your teammate," Hetty chastised while Callen grinned in his Tux and held out an arm for her, she was still wobbly on the heels and clung to him.

"Remember your cover, Mr. Callen, you are Vladimir Zinchenko heir a fortune in Russian oil and weapons smuggling." Hetty handed him a black blank credit card. "There is forty million on this card, I trust you will not spend it all at once."

Decker spluttered at the amount and Callen grinned, "Finally I get an allowance!" he joked.

Hetty just cocked her head at him, "You still owe me for a Japanese Vase." She reminded him.

"I paid you….er…ok…no I didn't….but….I mowed your lawns for a month, I thought that made us even?" Callen asked stepping out of character.

"And the Jaguar…Mr. Callen." Hetty smiled as Sam started to grin.

"I didn't shoot that and Sam was there too!" he protested.

"Yes I know…" she shot a look at Sam who looked totally innocent.

Hetty winked and patted Callen on the arm, "Get the information and get out as quickly and as safely as you can." She said and turned to head up to ops.

Mae grabbed Callen's arm again and dragged him towards the door, "So tell me about this vase?" she drawled as they headed out the door.

"Japanese vase?" Nell asked Hetty at the top of the balcony.

Hetty looked at her, "Mr. Callen came to see me on morning after they had been on the case to Smith River, he got a bit animated in a discussion and knocked over a vase I owed, and it's still being restored." She added turning her attention to the big screen.

* * *

Callen and Mae walked into the club, it was Mae's first time undercover with him and he wanted to make sure she was ok.

They were ushered in by Tina a woman who had owned a few nightclubs and knew Callen's undercover persona. "Vladimir, it is good to see you again!" she cooed as he walked in. she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.

"Tina, as lovely as always." He said in a clipped Russian accent.

"I have a private booth in the back for you," she said leading them to the VIP Area.

Mae said nothing but watched amazed as Callen slipped into character and they were seated next to their targets. Tina brought them both drinks and the man in the next booth nodded at Callen.

"That had better not be another $5000 bottle of champagne Mr. Callen," Hetty said in his ear. Callen took a big sip and grinned.

"Nope. $1500." He breathed around his glass.

Hetty sighed and Mae took a sip, it was the most expensive thing she had ever drunk.

She sidled up next to him and slid onto his lap so she could watch the group behind him, "The Targets just walked to the back and is meeting with a dark haired man.

The crowd pushed both men towards the couch where to all intents and purposes Callen was sitting heavily making out with Mae. Even in Ops Eric was looking uncomfortable watching them.

"We have a shipment coming in this week." The man behind Callen spoke; his Eastern European accent clear to hear over the earwig. "I also have some information; we may have a lead on the whereabouts of Casper a small town called Smith River."

Mae jumped as Callen hand pinched her side. "Ow!" she hissed.

"Sorry." Callen breathed back. His mind raced Cassie was in danger. He moved Mae, "We need to take this somewhere more private." He said pulling her by her arm. She giggled for effect as he slipped his arm around her waist and led her out of the club.

As soon as they were out of sight Callen all but ran for the car.

Mae climbed in, "What got ya'll so spooked Callen?" she asked.

"Hetty, How in the hell did the Russians find out about Casper?" he snapped.

"I don't know Mr. Callen." Hetty voice was shaky.

"Tell Sam to pack a couple of bags, we're going to get them." Callen said.

* * *

Kensi got up to feed Callum as Bella brushed past her on her way to Cassie's room. It was early and the sun was still below the horizon.

She lifted her newborn son out of his crib and sat in the rocking chair Deeks had brought while she was in hospital.

"Hey Cal, you hungry huh?" she asked lifting him gently to her breast.

She settled back listening to the morning sounds as he suckled, enjoying the peace when one of the perimeter alarms Deeks had set up flashed. She grabbed a go bag for the baby and herself knowing it was an outer perimeter alarm and then put the fussing baby into a car seat, Deeks was already up just with his jeans on his hair all mussed getting Cassie's bag as the sleepy girl followed her father and the dog, he threw their bags in the trunk, "Get in the car." Deeks said.

Bella started barking and bolted for the house as there was a crash.

"DADDY!" Cassie screamed as her dog went in.

Deeks kissed Kensi and whistled for Bella who ran back and jumped in the truck. "GO!" he yelled as two men walked through the house with shotguns.

Deeks pulled his gun as Kensi hit the gas pedal. "DEEKS!" she screamed through the open window.

"Go…Go home." He screamed as he fired shots at the men. "GO! I'll find you!" he fell to the ground as a shot winged his arm.

Kensi hit the gas pedal and turned the car in the direction of Los Angeles, trying all the time to keep calm as she watched two men lift up her husband and drag him into the house.

 


	7. Chapter 7

Deeks came to, the metallic taste of blood still in his mouth. He tried opening his eyes, one was swollen shut but the other he managed to open a crack, he wasn't in his home as he had thought, and he was in a darkened room. This he was slightly grateful for, as he was sure the light would be giving him a lot of grief right now. He slowly and painfully turned his head to the left as he heard a groan.

Sabatino? He was shocked as far as he knew, as far as he had been told Sabatino was still dealing with the CIA in Afghanistan, he was supposed to be keeping his daughter safe, not sitting here….wherever here was…beside him.

He tried to say his name, but he ended up coughing.

Sabatino's head move and looked over at him.

"I'm sorry." He said to Deeks, "I'm so sorry, I tried."

Deeks spat out a mouthful of blood.

"'hat hap'ned?" he managed to get out.

"The Russians, they were in Afghanistan, they knew of my dealings with Jack Simon and tried to get Casper's whereabouts from me."

"…gave her up?" Deeks asked anger radiating off him.

Sabatino looked ashamed at the floor…no not at the floor, but at a bloody stump where his hand had been, "I tried, they've had me for a month…they…sawed off my hand…" he choked back a sob.

Even Deeks felt for him at that point, Sabatino's career was over, there was no way, without a hand he could continue with the CIA, or any other law enforcement agency, not on the front line anyway, which to Sabatino would be the same as not working.

Deeks wanted to sympathize with him, but the man had given up his daughter, his wife and month old son were on the run and he didn't know if he'd live to see them again, the pain in his chest at that thought flared.

"I wouldn't have given them up." Deeks spat, his words becoming clearer as more blood left his mouth.

"That is a pity….Mr. Jackson….Or should we call you Mr. Deeks, because if you don't tell us where Casper is, we will kill you." A heavily accented Russian voice came from behind him.

Deeks tried to twist but couldn't see anything.

"She's a child, let her be!" Deeks argued, "Your Intel was wrong, the kid can't even hold a gun, it was just misinformation."

The voice behind him laughed, "So your friend here tried to tell me, we took weeks to get the location out of him, in the end we sawed off his arm at the wrist….slowly and without anesthetic he screamed like a baby, it was quite entertaining. But I digress, that child is being hunted by the CIA and that makes her an asset, if she is an asset to you she will be an asset to us."

"Who are you?" Deeks asked.

"You will see," Deeks heard a door open and close. He let out a deep breath and sent prayers to whichever Deity that was listening that they would keep his wife and children safe.

* * *

Kensi cursed as the truck died.

Cassie was staring out of the window, her face haunted and tear stained. Cal was grizzling in his car seat.

"Momma?" Cassie asked as a dark cloud of smoke came out from under the hood.

"I think we are going to have to walk baby." Kensi said trying to sound light hearted, she got out of the truck and mentally assessed what she needed to take with her.

Cassie climbed out grabbing her rucksack and putting it back on and clipping Bella's leash to her collar.

"Momma, is Daddy gonna find us?" she asked her voice wavering.

Kensi smiled at her daughter and wrapped her arms around her, "Cassie, daddy will always find us, it's just we took the truck, it's gonna take daddy a while to catch up ok?"

Cassie nodded as she moved to the side of the road and waited while her mother sorted a sling out for Callum and a bag full of essentials.

"Well, it was time to take Bella for a walk, so shall we go!" Kensi said brightly, Cassie giggled at her mother, as they started walking.

Five miles later, they were all tired, Cassie's feet hurt, Bella was flagging and Kensi carrying baby Cal was tired and thirsty the outskirts of Los Angeles was just coming into view.

Cal started crying and Kensi stopped and sank to her knees, "Cassie, baby…we have to stop for a moment, I have to feed the baby." They moved to an underpass, where Kensi knew they wouldn't be spotted from the road, she fed Cal, and he quickly calmed. "Ok baby, you settle back to sleep and let mommy get one now," she said softly as he fell asleep.

She looked over at Cassie who was tired and dirty, "You ok honey?" she asked pulling a bottle of water out of her bag and passing it to her daughter.

"I'm tired mommy; I haven't walked so much since….my bad daddy was with me." She said.

"I know baby, we have to get to safety, we don't want daddy worrying about us now do we, Listen, I know we are about a mile from uncle G's house, how about we head there and see if he can take us to Hetty."

Cassie smiled, she had loved G and Sam, and although she hadn't seen Sam again, G had come down to their home twice in the last month and she loved him.

Kensi caught sight of herself in the window of a parked car, they looked worse than Deeks did when he did his undercover homeless man role, only right now they weren't playing, they were homeless and alone and being hunted, someone was hunting her child. Kensi's hormones kicked in and she pulled Cassie closer to her for safety.

"Stay close to me now honey." She said softly as they entered the outskirts of Los Angeles.

Some people walked past them, but most crossed the street thinking they were a homeless family. Kensi didn't look at them, the more they thought that the safer her daughter was.

Finally, after what had been a six-hour walk, they turned into Callen's street.

It was 6 am, a few people had been getting up, a few cars pasted them and Kensi was praying that Callen was still home.

Kensi smiled with relief as she walked up the path to Callen's house and banged on the door.

"Mommy? No one lives here, the house is empty?" Cassie said looking in the window.

Kensi smiled, "No baby, Uncle G doesn't like having much stuff," She knocked again and there was no answer. "Come on G!" she yelled in frustration.

Kensi remembered something G had told her and reached under the plant pot, "Yes!" she said in triumph, as she took out Callen's hide-a-key. She unlocked the door, "In you go baby, I'll run you a bath and hopefully uncle G has some food."

She place Callum in the armchair wedged in by her bag and left him to sleep and walked to the bathroom, "Here Cassie, you use this towel and clean the room after yourself," she said and headed for the kitchen. She opened the drawer by the back door and took out Callen's stash of burn phones.

Putting a Sim card in the phone, she dialed a number she hadn't called for nearly a year.

"Hetty?" Kensi said as the number was answered she sank down the wall in relief tears freely flowing, "They've got Marty…we just got away…they took him…I think he's dead…" she sobbed as she heard a gasp and the phone fell from her hands. "Cassie?"

She looked up to see her daughter's tear stained face. "Daddy's dead?" she asked.

"Oh baby," Kensi wrapped her arms around her, "We don't know that mommy was just thinking aloud," she held her sobbing daughter, "I'm sure daddy will be fine."

* * *

Hetty stood in OPS waiting for Callen's call as Mae and Decker walked in, Eric and Nell were running a search on the Smith River address as her phone rang.

"Lange." She said expecting Callen; she wasn't prepared for the shaky voice at the other end.

"Kensi?" she said and both analysts stopped working and looked at her. "Kensi are you and the children safe? Where are you?" she said into the phone, she heard the phone clatter to the ground.

"Children?" Nell mouthed to Eric.

"Mr. Beale, trace my last incoming call." She ordered him and he nodded and started typing.

"It's coming from Callen's house." Eric told her. Hetty nodded, "Miss Jones, if you could collect Mrs. Deeks and her children from Mr. Callen's house and bring them here, she knows you so she will come with you, do not let anyone else get near them." She ordered. She turned to Eric, "Have you gotten into the Camera's on the Jackson property?" she asked.

Eric nodded, pulling up the feeds now.

The front of the house was eerily silent; as they saw, Callen and Sam pull up in the Challenger. They walked around the house and checked inside as the others watched over the big screen.

Callen pulled his phone out and Hetty's phone rang again.

"Yes Mr. Callen." Hetty said

She let out a small smile as Callen shot Sam a look and looked around; understanding crossed his face as he spotted the Camera.

"There's been a fight here; I can't find Kensi, Deeks or the kids." He said worry evident in his voice.

Eric started running back through the footage.

"Kensi is at your house Mr. Callen, as far as I know she and the children are safe." She watched as some of the tension left Callen's shoulders.

"Wait what about Deeks, what happened?" he asked.

Eric pulled the footage over to the big screen. They watched as Deeks was repeatedly punched and kicked until he was unconscious, He focused in on the two men and pulled them up.

"Viktor Astakhov and Dmitri Valcic, Russian FSB." He said pulling their bio's up.

"I know Dmitri, he's definitely FSB but has never been a by the book guy, he's been known to work the other side of the fence as well, he's a cold son of a bitch." Callen said grimly. "Eric do you know where they've taken him?"

Eric forwarded the footage as a white transit van came into view, "I've got the plates of the van, and I'll run it through Kaleidoscope." He said.

"Head back for now." Hetty said, "I'm sure Mrs. Deeks will want to see you,"

Callen nodded and closed the phone as he and Sam climbed into the Challenger and drove away.

* * *

Nell pulled up outside Callen's house and listened as a baby cried.

She knocked on the door and suddenly it was quite inside.

Kensi handed Cal to Cassie and they hid in a closet, Cassie holding her brother tightly.

Kensi looked through the window. "Nell?" she said.

Nell couldn't hold back the tears as she saw her friend she thought was dead, "Kensi?"

Kensi holstered her gun and pulled the woman into the house and into her arms, "Nell…I've missed you so much." She cried.

"You looked good." Nell lied and Kensi laughed.

"I look like shit." She said and turned to the small cupboard and opened the door, "It's ok, you can come out, it's mommy's friend Nell."

She lifted the baby and held out her hand to help Cassie to her feet.

"Hi." Nell said brightly, "I've been sent by Hetty to take you somewhere safe." She said.

"Is daddy there?" Cassie asked.

Nell looked at Kensi… "Daddy?"

Kensi shook her head, "No honey, not yet remember he's behind us." She prompted, she didn't know what Hetty had said and decided not to say anything.

Nell opened the door, checked outside and took them all to the car. Kensi holding Callum had to sit in the back having left his car seat with the truck and they headed to OSP.

 


	8. Chapter 8

As Nell pulled up outside the mission a strange kind of calm settled over Kensi, she knew as long as she could get the children inside they would be safe.

Cassie was all cleaned up and Kensi had brushed her hair and put it up in pigtails, Callum had been cleaned up and changed as well and was in a hammock across her chest sleeping soundly, Kensi was still dirty and dusty and was holding their bag.

"Come on Kensi, Hetty's waiting inside."

"Momma?" Cassie asked, "Is it safe in there?"

Kensi looked over at her daughter; it was not what she was expecting. However, she nodded, "Do you remember Hetty?" she asked her.

Cassie looked at her, "No...er…I don't know is she nice?"

"She was at the house when you first met Daddy." Kensi said.

Cassie smiled brightly, "Grandma? Grandma's here?" she ran for the door and opened it. "GRANDMA!" she yelled running down the hallway.

Hetty looked up from her desk as Mae stood talking to her.

"GRANDMA!" Cassie's voice cut through the calm in the mission.

Mae turned quickly as Hetty stood up. "Cassie!" she called and opened her arms as they were quickly filled with a happy nine-year-old.

"I missed you." Cassie said.

"You have grown so much." Hetty said looking at the girl. She looked up as Nell came in with Kensi in tow.

"Welcome back Mrs. Deeks." She said.

"Jackson, Mrs. Jackson." Kensi said she was so used to her undercover name that she was not used to being called Deeks and right now, without Marty with her she couldn't do it.

Hetty seemed to understand and nodded, "How are you my dear?"

"Tired, thirsty…" Kensi let a tear escape, "Is he…?" she couldn't ask but she knew that if Deeks were dead that Hetty would know.

"I don't know, but I believe he is still alive and fighting for his family." She said placing a comforting hand on Kensi' arm.

Callum stirred and Kensi looked at him with a sad smile, "He'd better come back to us, Cal needs his father as does Cassie,"

Mae looked at the tired, woman and her children. "Do you want me to go out for some food?" Mae asked.

Kensi looked at her scared and Cassie moved behind her mother instinctively.

Hetty patted her on the arm, "Kensi, it is fine, this is Agent Mae Collins, she's your replacement." She said.

"She's ok?" Kensi asked her hand drifting towards her sidearm.

"She is fine; she and her partner Mr. Decker have been here for a few months now." Hetty reassured her. "Ms Collins, I think that would be a good idea, also Mrs. Jackson may need supplies for the baby?"

Kensi nodded, "I do, and we didn't have time to pack."

Hetty handed Mae a list and a credit card. "Use this, I think everything you will need is on there, take Mr. Decker with you."

Mae nodded and left.

* * *

"KENSI!" Eric's voice came from upstairs and he ran down the steps towards him.

Kensi whirled in surprise and Cassie grabbed her mother's gun and trained it on him as he stopped dead in surprise.

"Kensi?" he asked looking petrified at the eight-year-old with a firearm.

"At ease Cassie." Kensi said softly, taking the gun from her daughter who started shaking.

"I'm sorry mommy, I just…he scared me…." Cassie started crying as Kensi held her tight. Eric walked over to them and squatted down to Cassie's height.

"Hey, my name's Eric Beale I love computers, what's your name."

"C…Cassie…J…Jackson." She said sniffling, but took his outstretched hand. "I like woodworking with my daddy and walking my dog Bella, she came with us but mommy said we had to leave her at Uncle Callen's so she could play in the garden."

"Wow you have a dog, that's so cool, I don't know anything about woodworking, if you want you can teach me…" he looked over at Hetty, "But I think we'll have to ask your grandma if we can use her tools." He smiled.

"I don't think that will be a problem." Hetty smiled as did Kensi.

"Thank you Grandma…Is is ok mommy?" Cassie asked.

Kensi nodded, "Sure," she said giving Eric a one-side hug so as not to hurt the baby.

"Can I see?" He asked and Kensi nodded moving the material so he could see the baby.

"Wow…He looks like Deeks." Eric grinned.

"He does," Kensi agreed.

"Mr. Beale is Miss Jones dealing with the current searches upstairs?" Hetty asked.

"She's got it in hand, so…Maybe I could take Cassie to the workshop?" he asked Cassies' face brightened and she bounced on her feet.

"Very well," Hetty said and Cassie grinned.

"Come on." She exclaimed, grabbed Eric by the hand, and dragged her off.

"Cassie! It's the other way." Eric laughed and took her hand and dragged her in exactly the same way although not hard in the other direction.

Kensi waited until her daughter was out of sight and all but collapsed into the armchair in front of Hetty's desk taking care not to jolt her son.

* * *

Deeks looked over at Sabatino.

"I'm sorry." He said as he saw the man stir.

"I tried not to tell, I didn't want them after her either."

Deeks gave a small smile at him. "I know I'm sorry, I just can't take the chance with her life ya know, and she's my baby…"

Sabatino looked at him strangely, "You marry Kensi?" he asked.

Deeks nodded, "we have a son too. Callum one month old."

Sabatino smiled, "That's nice, someone to carry on your name."

"Yeah, I hope I get to see them again." He said wistfully. "You got kids? A family?"

Sabatino shook his head, "Kinda fancied your partner for a bit, she's a great girl, but she always was yours." He sighed.

Deeks shook his head, "Never mine pal. I've always been hers." He admitted, "Name's Marty." He told Sabatino.

"I know we've met Deeks."

Deeks gave a short laugh, "We're locked in a hole…somewhere, we may die here, I figure we should be on first name terms.

Sabatino looked up at him, "Vostanik" he said

"Really?" Deeks laughed.

"Why do you think I go by Sabatino." He gave a small laugh back.

Deeks moved a bit is bindings hurting, "Well Stan, where do you think we are?"

"I have no idea, they knocked me out on the plane, and I came to here." Sabatino said.

"I got knocked out in our home, Kens and the kids got out, thank God, but I have no idea if they made it to safety." He said staring at what was suddenly an interesting spot on the wall.

"Hey, Marty…Kensi is a tough broad, she's gonna be fine." Sabatino told him watching the younger man slowly fall apart.

"I know…but…Cal's just a baby, Cassie's just a kid…I don't even know if I'm going to see them again, I don't wanna not be there for my kid ya know?"

"You'll make it out of this; your team is good remember…?" Sabatino remembered all the times that Kensi used to talk about the LA team and how much better they were than the CIA.

Deeks nodded silently and hoped against hope that Sabatino was right.

* * *

Callen practically leapt out of the car as Sam pulled into the car park outside the mission.

"Hang on." Sam said, "I'm sure they're here by now." He followed his partner into the mission.

Callen walked towards Hetty's office. "Hetty?" he called. "Is she…" he stopped as she pointed to her arm chair where mother and baby were asleep Callum snuggling against his mother's breast as they both slept.

"I think Kensi has had a rather hard day." Hetty said and gave a nod towards Ops.

Callen and Sam followed her up the stairs they walked into Ops and Nell turned to greet them.

"We've just had a hit." She said.

"Where's Eric?" Sam asked.

"Busy." Nell said, she turned to the screen, "We tracked the van that took Deeks from Smith River and traced it to a warehouse in Downtown Los Angeles." She pulled a picture of the warehouse and the van up onto the big screen.

"That's good," Callen said, "You have an address?" he asked.

"There is a complication." Nell said grimly and enlarged a picture when the door was open and the two Russian FSB agents were leaving the building.

"What is that?" Callen asked looking closer at the screen.

They could see two men in the background tied to chairs and something attached to the door.

"We think it's a bomb and according to facial rec, that is Deeks in there as well as CIA Agent Sabatino, if either of them escape before you get there they could kill themselves just by opening the door, I have the paramedics and the bomb squad on standby, they are just waiting for you to arrive." She informed them, "I have sent all the necessary details to your smart phones, go bring them home." She said.

They nodded and left just as Decker and Collins arrived back with Hetty's supplies.

"You guys leaving again?" Decker asked.

Callen nodded "Got a lead on Deeks, you get on with whatever that is." Callen said waving his hand at the pile of supplies, "We'll be back soon."

Mae nodded, "Good luck." She said as they left.

Mae went into Hetty's office looked over at the sleeping woman and then she and Hetty went to work sorting out the supplies.

"You gonna help Decker?" Mae asked her partner as she went for a second bag.

"Soon Mae, I got a phone call to make, be back in a second."

Mae nodded and went back to helping Hetty.

Decker walked into the main passageway, "Dmitri, its Stefan, you and Viktor need to get out of there, you've been made, and they are coming." He closed the phone, pasted a fake smile on his face and headed back into the main building to help.

 


	9. Chapter 9

Decker helped as Mae and Hetty got the babies things together, they built a small crib and got the baby's supplies together, putting the diapers and new clothing out for Kensi to see when she woke up. Mae had gotten some clothes for Cassie and Kensi, some activity books, and an I-Pad for Cassie to keep her entertained.

Callum let out a small cry and Kensi bolted upright, "Cal?" she checked him over and looked around for Cassie.

"Cassie?" Kensi let out a cry of alarm; she adjusted Callum and turned to look for her daughter.

"It's alright Kensi; Cassie is with Mr. Beale in the workshop. Ms Collins and Mr. Decker have been shopping they have brought some supplies for you and the children, some of which I think young master Callum could use." She said sniffing the air.

Kensi had to agree, and she had been worried as Callum was wearing his last diaper and she had left her purse in the cabin.

She walked over and looked surprised, "You got the right sort?" she said looking at Hetty amazed.

Hetty smiled, "You've been gone too long, Kensi." She said

Kensi nodded and turned to her son, "Ok peanut, let's get you all cleaned up shall we." She said and placed him on the coffee table and a changing mat.

She quickly changed him and he settled quietly. "He's a very happy baby." Mae said looking at him.

Kensi nodded, "He's laid back like his father." She said looking at the smiling blue-eyed blond boy.

* * *

Callen and Sam pulled up outside the warehouse, the van from earlier was gone.

They got out of the car and walked around the building. Callen nodded to Sam and they looked inside the window, Deeks and Sabatino were tied to two chairs in the center of the room. Callen looked behind him and gave the signal to the bomb squad and the paramedics to move in.

A large man walked over to them, "What we got?" he asked.

"It looks like they're alone, the terrorists look like they are long gone, but our Tech people noticed that the main door was wired, I want you to take a look at it before we move in, I don't want anyone else getting hurt." Sam said to him.

The bomb squad person walked away and filled his team in.

"There's a lot of blood there on the floor?" Callen said looking through the window.

"Deeks or Sabatino?" Sam asked.

"Dunno." Callen replied. He lifted the butt of his gun to the glass and broke a window. "Deeks!" he called.

"Callen?" Deeks tried to turn but he could not move, as his arms were numb.

"Yeah, we're here…me and Sam, we'll be in soon. The doors are wired and we've got the bomb squad here."

"Kensi…the kids? Did they get to you, are they safe?" he called the worry in his voice evident.

"They're at the mission…they're safe." Callen called.

Deeks pulled at his bonds. "NO…someone in there is feeding them information, someone called Stefan Desyatkov. He's ex-CIA he's been sent to infiltrate NCIS to find Cassie…leave us, go and protect her!" he yelled.

"Clear!" Came a shout from the team at the door.

Callen and Sam motioned to the paramedics who followed them in.

Sam untied Sabatino and motioned for the paramedics to take him out; he was practically unconscious having lost so much blood, Callen untied Deeks and he tried to get up staggering under the pain from his injuries.

"Deeks…wait let the paramedics look at you." Callen said putting a hand on his arm.

Deeks sagged for a second and reached behind Callen and grabbed his gun, "Back off Callen." He snarled holding his gun on his friend.

"Deeks? Marty? You need to give me the gun." Callen said with a calm voice.

"No…No you don't understand, my babies, Kensi…They're in danger, I didn't know…I sent them there, I thought they would be safe." Deeks looked distraught and unfocused, "I have to get them out, they're not safe."

"They are with Hetty?" Callen said. "There is no one at the Mission called Stefan, you have the wrong information."

"No! Callen I've been doing this for over a year, I know I am right, please…I need to see them,"

"You need to see a paramedic." Callen argued.

"After…After I know my children are safe, please." Deeks begged.

"Ok Deeks, give Callen back his weapon and we'll take you to them." Sam said.

Deeks shook his head and backed up, "No…you let me see my kids and Kensi, I need to see them, I don't know you haven't been ordered to bring us in, you aren't going to hand Cassie over."

"Fine." Callen snapped and turned around, "You gonna trust us to ride with us?" he asked.

Deeks nodded once, wincing as he did so. Broken ribs, Callen thought mentally assessing the younger man's injuries.

They walked to the car and Deeks eased himself into the back seat keeping his gun trained on Callen and Sam, albeit shakily. The bomb squad had gone for their weapons but Callen had shook his head, making them stand down as they walked to the car.

They sat in the car silent for the drive back, every time Callen went for his gun, Deeks would growl out a warning in the end Callen just gave up, he had learnt years ago never to poke a wounded bear.

* * *

Kensi moved with Cal over to the couch and sat with him as Mae and Decker went back to their desks.

She fed Cal and winded him and was gently rocking him as Cassie and Eric walked back in.

"Look mommy, we made this…" she said holding a crudely made wooden frame, with the word Daddy carved into it.

Kensi turned the frame over in her hands, it was good, considering Cassie had made it, "Uncle Eric helped me with the chisel, I told him Daddy wouldn't let me use one so he did it."

"Uncle Eric?" she said with a slight smile.

Cassie nodded, "Yeah…I'm hungry mommy." She said.

Kensi sighed; it looked like Hetty had gotten them everything but food. "I know baby, we'll eat soon." She promised half heartedly.

"I would suggest that you both eat now," Hetty said carrying a large plate of pancakes out to the coffee table.

Cassie smiled, "Chocolate chips…Like daddy's?" she asked.

Hetty nodded, "Who do you think taught me how to make them." She said watching the little girls smile get brighter.

Kensi shot her a look, knowing Hetty probably learnt how to cook from a world famous chef, but she had made her daughter smile so she wasn't going to call her out on it.

Kensi's stomach growled at the sight of the food, she looked up at the clock on the wall, surprised that it was nearly lunchtime. She had been gone since about 2.30am, although in reality only 9 hours had passed it seemed like days to her.

Hetty passed her a plate with a few pancakes on it, "You should eat, it's better for the baby." She said.

"I miss him, I can't not till I know he's safe." She said.

Hetty put the plate in front of her and Cassie moved to sit next to her mother, "They're just like Daddy's mommy, you should eat them."

Kensi smiled and took a forkful, they were light and fluffy, "You are right, they are just like daddy's." she choked out trying and failing to keep her tears at bay.

Decker walked around the corner from the bathroom, he couldn't believe it, Casper was right here. Right in front of him, he had hoped for a lead on her whereabouts for his employers but this…this was like winning the lottery.

Cassie looked up and dropped her fork mid-way to her mouth. "Stefan…" she whispered, her hand snaking behind her mothers back and grabbing her gun for the second time that day.

She moved herself in front of her mother and brother and trained the gun on Decker who drew his own gun.

"Steve? What the hell are you doing?" Mae asked stunned, "That's an eight year old girl?!"

"Stefan, please…don't take me from my mommy." Cassie said.

Kensi pulled her back up weapon and carefully placed Cal in the crib Hetty had set up. "Who are you?" she asked.

"My name is Stefan Desyatkov, I work for the CIA and the FSB." He said "I will be taking the child; a great many people are interested in her."

"No I'm not coming with you." Cassie said moving closer to her mother, as Hetty, Nell and Mae all drew their guns on Decker.

"A double agent?" Hetty asked, "I wonder if your bosses are aware of that?"

Decker laughed, "Of course, they fight like a married couple but when they want the same thing, they work wonderful together…Casper you will place the gun on the ground and walk towards me child."

"So you can hurt me again?" Cassie asked.

"You didn't learn fast enough for your father or me." Decker said, "You will learn or I will beat you until you do." He warned.

Cassie shook, she didn't want to go, "I am not Casper, my name is Cassie, and I'm not leaving my mommy or my daddy or my brother."

"Your daddy is dead and if you don't move so will you be." Decker warned. He raised his gun and a shot rang out.

His face was full of surprise as he fell down dead to the ground.

Kensi looked worriedly at her daughter, she knew Cassie was a crack shot, but the therapist she had seen had insisted that she not touch a weapon again, if there were any hope of Cassie having a normal life.

"I…I…I didn't…." Cassie said in shock looking past the body of Decker to the figure slumped in the passageway.

"DADDY!" Cassie screamed running past Mae and falling to the ground near her father.

"Did he hurt you….baby, let me look at you…" Deeks searched her for any sign of injury.

"I'm fine daddy, but you're hurt…" Deeks shook his head "I'm fine baby girl," he said, he looked past her and saw Kensi. He took three steps and he dropped Callen's gun and slumped to the floor.

"DADDY!" he heard as his world went black.

 


	10. Chapter 10

Callen and Sam stood behind Deeks in shock; Deeks had not been the type to shoot without calling out first. It was the main rule of a good shoot, identify yourself to you potential victim. Give them the chance to do the right thing.

Deeks had not done that.

"DADDY!" Cassie screamed as she saw her father slump to the floor.

Kensi stood in shock as she saw him go, then she moved, stopping for one second to kick the gun away from Stefan's dead body, not sure if he was dead, she ran over to him.

"MARK!" she screamed falling to her knees. She lifted his head as her tears fell, "Honey, wake up!" she kissed his head.

Cassie grabbed his hand, "Daddy please wake up!" she cried.

Nell walked over to them, "The paramedics are coming," she told Kensi and then turned to Hetty, "I've informed Vance of the workplace incident and asked for IAD to come and investigate. He's vetoed that idea and is sending Gibbs' team to investigate."

Hetty sighed with relief, "Good, Gibbs will keep this in house and under the CIA's radar."

The sirens outside grew louder as the paramedics pulled up, Callen stood outside to let them in.

"This is a mess." Hetty sighed as she realized she would have to talk to the paramedics later, until they walked in and she looked over at Nell.

"Hetty?! You didn't think I'd let the regular paramedics in here do you. Jeff and Thomas have clearance, so I called them." She said smiling at the two ex-Agents who had left to become paramedics.

"Nell." Jeff said with a smile.

"Over here." She said pointing to Deeks on the floor.

"What happened was he shot?" Jeff asked as he examined him.

"No, held by some men, badly beaten…not sure what happened to him." Callen said honestly.

Jeff grinned while continuing to examine him. "See this is why I got out, much prefer the dangers with this job G."

Callen moved so Jeff and Thomas could get Deeks onto the gurney. "What's his cover?" Thomas asked.

"Name's Mark Jackson, handyman from Smith River." He said. He nodded to Kensi, "Wife Karen, 2 kids."

Thomas turned to Kensi, "Mrs. Jackson do you want to come with your husband?" he asked.

Kensi looked over at Cassie and the baby, "I…the kids…I…I can't leave them."

"Momma. I'll look after Callum," Cassie said bravely.

"And I will look after them both." Hetty promised, "Go with your husband Mrs. Jackson, and take Mr. Callen and Mr. Hanna along for protection."

Kensi pulled Cassie into her arms and gave her a kiss, "You be good for grandma, hold onto the burn phone in my bag, I'll call you." She said and followed the medics out of the building.

Hetty pulled Cassie close to her and turned to Mae and Nell, "Get that out of my building." She said. "Oh and for heaven's sake take photographs, you know how Jethro gets about those." She said and scooped the baby up and walked over to her office.

Mae ran to grab a camera and looked over at Nell. "Jethro?" she asked.

"Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Agent in charge of the MCRT. Good friend of Hetty and Callen, a bit abrupt but a good guy."

Mae gulped, she'd heard of that team at FLETC, she took the camera up and started clicking.

* * *

Kensi paced outside the room where they were working on Deeks.

Callen and Sam stood off to the side.

"Kens?" Callen said softly. "Maybe you should sit down." He suggested.

Kensi looked over at him, the worry and fear evident in her face. "What if he dies?" she breathed and sank heavily into a chair.

She did not care that she was crying in front of her two co-workers, she was not badass Blye anymore, she was Karen Jackson, wife and mother and no wish to be a widow.

Callen sat next to her and put a hand on her shoulder, "He'll be ok Kensi, I checked him at the crime scene, and Sabatino was there he's in hospital as well, he lost a hand." Callen told her.

"God…Because of us? Did he? Was he the one who told them where we were?" Kensi asked getting angry.

"Kens, they cut. Off. His. Hand." Callen said again.

Her hands flew up to her mouth. "Oh my God…and I was gonna…" she burst into tears again and swiped angrily at her eyes, "Sorry hormones."

She looked up as Sam offered her a cup of tea, "Thanks."

"Listen, you've just had a baby, of course your hormones are out of whack and to top it off your husband is in surgery, so it is natural that you're a bit….temperamental."

Kensi raised an eyebrow but resisted the urgh to hurt Sam, especially as he was right.

"Tell me," she said as she wiped her eyes, "What happened to him?" she asked.

"They were found together in a warehouse downtown. Sabatino had been there a while, it looked like they had been beaten, I think they cut off Sabatino's hand until he said what Cassie's name was or the name of you and Deeks. And then tracked you down, Deeks got you out of there and he was beaten so he would give you up." Callen told her even though Sam was glaring at him.

A nurse walked out, "Family of Mark Jackson?" she called.

"Here!" Kensi shot up, "I'm his wife Karen." She said

"Mr. Jackson was badly hurt when he was brought in, he was stabbed and had broken ribs, multiple contusions and a head wound, which luckily did not lead to him being concussed. He's been calling for you, maybe it would help if you can see him, Karen right?" she asked.

Kensi smiled, "Yeah."

The nurse smiled and opened the door for her; Deeks lay on the bed looking a lot like he had when he'd been shot the first time.

"Hey Karen." He groaned the bruising on his body evident for all to see.

"Mark…are you ok?" she asked rushing across the room to be at his bedside.

"I'm fine, it's not as bad as it looks, how are the kids, Callum, Cassie, are they alright, are they with you?" he asked.

"They are with Grandma Hetty, Stefan's gone, you saved her Marty you saved our baby girl." She said sobbing into his shoulder.

Deeks smiled, "For our children I'll always be there. What's gonna happen now?" he asked worried as he looked up and saw Callen leaning in the doorway.

"Now…?" Callen smirked. "Now Mark Jackson has to disappear, maybe it's time for Marty Deeks to come back,"

"I can't…for Cassie…it's not safe." Deeks snapped.

"You will be safer here than out there." Sam said.

"But, if you guys are caught with us?" Kensi asked.

"Kensi Blye and Marty Deeks are not wanted by anyone, Kayla Simons is, but she doesn't exist anymore, besides Kensi Deeks and Cassie Deeks aren't wanted at all, neither is Callum Deeks." Callen said.

Kensi smiled, "They're not are they?" are grinned.

"So maybe we can have Agent Deeks and Detective Deeks back at work as soon as Detective Deeks is healed and Agent Deeks as finished maternity leave." Callen suggested.

"I would have to speak to Hetty about that and we'd have to find somewhere safe to live and a new therapist for Cassie." Kensi said, "But it would be nice to be home." She said wistfully reaching for Deeks' hand.

"Yeah it would, we missed you guys." Deeks said.

Deeks looked at his wife, he needed to heal and he did want to do it here, family and the ocean so close and he could check on his mother again. They were back now and he didn't want to leave, but before he made any decisions he needed to know if the CIA were still looking for Cassie and if it were safe for the small family to remain in Los Angeles.

"I need to see the kids, can you call Hetty?" he asked.

Callen nodded and picked up the phone.

* * *

Deeks closed his eyes for a moment, or at least he thought it was a moment. But it must have been much longer as when he opened his eyes again Cassie was standing there biting her lip and watching him, Hetty standing behind her with Kensi holding Callum.

"Cass…" Deeks groaned as his arms were suddenly full of the eight year old.

"Daddy….are you ok? I missed you, Uncle Eric helped me make you a present, I like the mission it has a little house inside it and…."

"Wow there sweetie, breathe. Tell me later." He said kissing her head.

Kensi brought Callum close to him and Deeks breathed in the unique baby scent that was his son.

Kensi stood back up with Cal and looked over at him, "They are both safe and both fine." She told him.

Deeks nodded and looked over at Hetty, "Hetty. We have to talk." He said.

 


	11. Chapter 11

Hetty sat as Deeks adjusted the bed to be able to talk to her. Kensi kissed him and took the children out of the room so that they could get something to eat, Callen and Sam going with her to keep Deeks' mind at ease.

"You wanted to talk to me Mr. Deeks?" Hetty asked, adjusting her chair to face him.

"I can't go back to LAPD…Kensi needs to get back to work, as soon as Cal is old enough, she misses it so much, but I won't be able to be your liaison, I sent Bates my badge. He couldn't wait to get me out of his hair." He sighed.

"Did you think about signing the other papers I had for you Mr. Deeks, I still have space for another Agent?" Hetty smiled.

"Really? You want me as an Agent?" he asked surprised, "I just thought you'd take Kensi back and I'd work from home with the kids."

She smiled at him, "What did you do while you were away? Or were you planning on getting a private eye license."

Deeks smiled, "I was a handyman, carpenter and electrician. I was pretty good at it." He admitted.

"That will be good to know." Hetty said, "But the big question is, do you want to work at NCIS?"

Deeks shrugged, "I would like to be Kensi's partner again, but aren't there fraternization rules, I mean I am her husband and I wouldn't want to cause a conflict of interest."

Hetty smiled, "I do have a small problem that you could help me with…" she looked at him critically, "While it is true you couldn't remain on Mrs. Deeks' team as her partner, Ms Collins will be partnered with her."

"So you don't need me then?" he said

Hetty shook her head "On the contrary we do need you, Owen Granger wants to move Miss Jones into a field agent role, if you sign those papers you would be her partner, and as I know you have both worked well together in the past I think you two would be a good fit." Hetty waited as Deeks thought it through…Slowly he smiled.

"Sooooo, I would be a full NCIS Agent?" he asked slowly.

Hetty nodded, "You have learned enough in your tenure as liaison officer to be able to start straight away, well as soon as you are able too. I talked to Owen who is right now pitching the idea to Director Vance in Washington, I am hopeful he'll say yes and Owen will be flying out with the MCRT who have to deal with the little incident with Agent Dekker."

"I'm not sorry I killed him." Deeks said flatly. "Cassie may not be my flesh and blood child but I love her just the same and no one is ever going to hurt her." He looked Hetty in the eye, "So all of this is mute, unless the CIA are still looking for her, because if they are I'm taking my wife and children and we'll never come back."

Hetty smiled, "I talked to the director of the CIA this morning, when I knew what was happening to you all."

Deeks struggled to move, "You told him about Cassie?" he tried to stand up and the monitor on the wall started beeping incessantly.

"Mr. Deeks?..." Hetty put a calming hand on his arm, "I would never put her or any child in danger."

She moved back as he fell back onto the pillow breathing heavily, "I told him of the situation, he was horrified, but is satisfied that Cassie is not Casper and that the CIA had been chasing the wrong person. They have sent their heartfelt apologies for any inconvenience and a check to cover costs incurred by your family in the last few years."

"Costs?" Deeks asked.

"I think the check is for $125,000. Also they have agreed to send the price of any home that you and your family wish to buy, so when you find one let me know and we'll send them the bill." She handed him the piece of paper, "Of course, you will need to rest up before you come back."

"If Vance says yes…" Deeks said darkly, it wasn't as if he had been a full federal agent before, and he'd killed a federal agent…sort of on the premises at the mission.

Hetty's phone rang she nodded to him and stepped outside "Excuse me." She said as she left.

* * *

Kensi walked out of the bathroom a freshly changed Cal gurgling on her hip, Cassie had grabbed Callen's hand while she was in there and a small amount of tension left the child as her mother and brother came into view.

Kensi smiled, "Hey honey, you been good there for uncle G?" she asked.

Cassie nodded, "Yeah, can we go back and see daddy now? He may need us…" Cassie said her face frowning as she looked worried.

Kensi knelt down by her daughter, "Daddy is going to be ok baby, you know that don't you. All the danger is over, Hetty's gonna make it ok." She said wrapping her arm around her child and stroking her hair.

Callen knelt down and picked Cassie up, "Come on slugger, let's go and see your daddy and you can give him that bear you got him at the gift shop." He smiled at Kensi and in that moment she could see that Callen was taking his big brother/uncle roll to heart.

She smiled and nodded as Cassie rode in her uncle's arms.

Kensi stopped as they rounded the corridor and saw Hetty standing there on the phone her face looking annoyed.

"Leon, I want him, it's as simple as that, he is a great undercover operative and remember I didn't pick Dekker you did and he was a FSB double agent."

She turned away and didn't see them, "You either let me file those papers and accept him as an agent or I quit Leon." She snapped. Her shoulders relaxed and she sighed, "Thank you I knew you would see it my way…and about the other matter…Good." She smiled as she turned and saw the group in the hallway. "I have to go know." She said and closed the phone.

"Mrs. Deeks may I suggest you have a few moments alone with your husband." She said.

"Is he ok?" she asked worried.

"Tell him Leon said yes and he'll be fine." Hetty said and turned as Kensi handed Cal to her and went inside.

* * *

Kensi pushed open the door and looked inside, "Marty?" she said quietly, it felt strange to be using their real names now, but she did anyway.

"Kensi?" Deeks looked over at her, "Where are the kids?"

Kensi smiled "Outside with Callen and Hetty, Hetty said to tell you Leon said yes."

Deeks grinned, "Really?!"

Kensi cocked an eyebrow at him, "What exactly did Leon say yes too? And why did Hetty say you needed to talk to me."

"It's over Kens…The CIA aren't looking for Cassie anymore, they've called off the hunt, said it was an FSB plot or something, I wasn't really listening to Hetty…not after she gave us this…" he handed the cashiers check to her, and grinned.

"That's…WOW!" Kensi said.

"There's more, the CIA are willing to buy us a house…Hetty's going to look for one with us, she has contacts." He grinned.

"So…what now?" Kensi asked sitting on the edge of his bed and holding his hand.

"We leave, find a home, move back…go back to work…"

"You left LAPD, what are you going to do?" she looked worried.

Deeks grinned, the full out shit eating grin he would give her when he had something planned.

"What?" Kensi asked him.

"I'm gonna be an NCIS agent."

"But…the rules we can't work together…" she looked worried.

Deeks took her hand, "You're gonna be partnered with an Agent Collins a woman I think and Nell is getting full field agent status, so she'll be with me, we will be on the same team though." He told her.

Kensi smiled and kissed her husband not hearing the door opening behind them.

"Momma, Daddy…is it ok? Are you going to be alright?" she asked clinging onto the bear she had brought for her father.

Deeks glanced around his wife and smiled at his daughter, "Hey munchkin, how do you fancy living by the beach?"

The happy squeal that Cassie let out could be heard from outside and Callen, Sam and Hetty grinned.

"I think they are staying." Callen remarked.

* * *

It took a week for Gibbs and his team to clear Deeks, mostly thanks to some information that Tony DiNozzo dug up while talking to the LAPD officers.

Callen stood in the bullpen and shook Gibbs' hand as he, Bishop, McGee and DiNozzo said their goodbyes.

"Are you leaving?" Kensi and Deeks asked as they arrived for their first official day back at work.

Gibbs smiled and pulled Kensi into a hug, "Welcome back Agent Deeks." Then he turned to Marty, "Welcome to NCIS Agent Deeks…" he grinned at Callen, "I'm so glad this is your problem Son."

Callen shrugged "What problem?" he said as he watched Kensi and Deeks take their desks.

"Kens? Deeks? You foresee a problem?" he grinned.

Both agents shook their head, "Nope…not with work, but we are moving this weekend Agent Gibbs, if you feel the need to stay and help?" Deeks grinned.

"You found a house?" Tony asked, he and Deeks, mostly because of their cop background had become good friends.

"Hetty found it, right on the beach, with a private beach of our own. Cassie loves it and the room we picked for Cal is beautiful, you'll have to come out on vacation." Deeks offered.

"Thanks man." Tony grinned.

"Cool….Coz I fully intend to pick your brain about some of these courses Hetty's got me on." Deeks showed Tony the list. "Forensic science, Criminology, profiling, Computer science…"

Tony smiled, "These are easy I have masters in each of them, feel free to call anytime bro." he grinned as McGee looked stunned. "You'll make a great agent Deeks," Tony said encouragingly.

"I hope I'm as good as you someday." He said.

Gibbs patted DiNozzo on the back, "You do and maybe you'll be Callen's SFA." He grinned, "Gear up, time to go home."

Tony waved goodbye and grabbed the copy of Sniper Monthly that Callen held out to him. "Thanks!" he mouthed as he walked out with the team.

Mae and Nell took their desks and greeted Kensi and Deeks good morning.

"Morning Partner…hope you slept well?" Deeks grinned.

Nell smiled back, "I did thank you Deeks, and I got my car detailed."

Deeks paled, "the mini?" he asked.

Nell smiled, "Nope. Apparently Hetty was concerned that you wouldn't fit in the car, so we upgraded to an Aston Martin."

"Sweet!" Deeks grinned looking over at his wife, who was swinging a key on her finger.

"NO!" Deeks shook his head, "No…you can't not our car…No…you could take the SUV…" he suggested.

Kensi smiled a smug grin, "But honey, the Nanny has the car, and you know that Hetty gave us this as a wedding present."

"Not the Cobra…" Deeks dropped his head in his hands "Kill me now!" he groaned.

Callen and Sam laughed as Mae looked at a picture of the car they were using for work.

"Sweet!" she grinned echoing Marty's sentiments.

* * *

They turned as Eric whistled over the balcony and headed back into ops.

"Come on then Agents, back to work." Callen said as they headed up the stairs.

Hetty watched as the new team got to work. Things felt right again in her little world.

She smiled as she thought about the look Callen and Sam were going to give her when she told them they were going to help Kensi, Deeks and the children move from her house in Encino to the large one next to her on the beach in Santa Monica, after all she wanted to keep her grandchildren close.

She sipped her tea and smiled as they group trouped down the stairs and with happy, banter and a familiar determination all six of them set off to solve the next case.

 


End file.
